London: A Catholic priest brought Britain’s Got Talent judges to tears last weekend, following his audition on the national TV talent show.

Fr Ray Kelly, a parish priest from Ireland, went through to the next round of the competition after receiving the coveted four ‘yeses’ from the judging panel, after singing a rendition of REM’s Everybody Hurts. The judges praised his performance at the auditions, including judge Simon Cowell, who described it as one of his ‘favourite auditions ever’.

The 65-year-old priest of almost 30 years has been a parish priest in Oldcastle and Moylagh, Co Meath since 2006, and has already become a hit online with his musical performances.

Fr Kelly hit 60 million views on YouTube in a 2014 video, where he sang at the wedding of a couple, surprising them by singing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, with the words altered to be about the couple instead.

He has also appeared on the Late Late Show in Ireland.

Fr Ray received applause from parishioners at Sunday Mass following his audition.

 

 

source: Scottish catholic observer