The Priests talk ahead of fourth album release

The Very Reverend Eugene O'Hagan, Martin O'Hagan and David Delargy – collectively known as The Priests – were catapulted to fame when they signed with SonyBMG in 2008. Number One hits, a rumoured duet with Lady Gaga and interest from Australia, the USA and Europe followed.

"It was all a bit of a whirlwind," says Eugene. "It was really accidental rather than by design. We went from obscurity to being very well known." One minute they were sitting in confession, listening to the troubles of rural parishioners in Northern Ireland. The next they were collecting gold and platinum discs from Ireland, the UK, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, France, Norway, Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

David says: "We were very busy the first couple of years, recording and releasing those albums. The albums were released internationally which meant there was a lot of travel, which took us around the world. It was all very exciting. Sony invested a lot of money in the project and they were giving us the full celebrity treatment with lots of nice hotels. It was very interesting and pleasant but very demanding and tiring as well. We were trying to make sure all our duties in the parish were covered. After three albums, we decided it was time to reduce our travelling and spend more time in our parishes."

The Priests are back with their fourth studio album, Alleluia. It will follow in the slipstream of their 2008 debut, The Priests, which reached Number One in Ireland and Number Five in the UK, scoring a platinum disc in both territories. Their sophomore album, Harmony, achieved similar success. Released in 2009, it was a Top 10 hit in Ireland and secured a further platinum disc while the UK made it a Top 20 record and helped it earn a gold disc.

The Priests are pleased that they've had time to catch their breath and make sense of their extraordinary rise.

Martin says: "We didn't expect that level of success at all. It was somewhat meteoric. It developed over a very short and intense period of time. Sony initially approached us and offered us a contract for the UK and Ireland. Then they decided to go global. It was a global priority. We were absolutely flummoxed and delighted and intrigued. It's safe to say, we were not your average boy band."

While The Priests might have been forgiven for leaving behind their pastoral duties and enjoying the jet-set life of global stars, they did precisely the opposite. At the top of their priority list was the needs of people in local villages and towns, who wanted to hear the gospel.

Martin says: "We insisted that the Sony contract ensured our parish duties were not compromised. And, to their credit, they agreed.

"We have had to balance three diaries and lots of different appointments because all of us are parish priests. When you are on your own in the parish, as I am, there's a lot to sort out. We've been very sure not to neglect our parishioners."

The Priests were an instant success. Their debut album was produced by Mike Hedges, best known for his work with U2, Dido and Manic Street Preachers. It was released in more than 30 countries and was the subject of TV documentaries in the UK and USA. It became the fastest-selling UK debut for a classical act and sold more than one million copies in Ireland alone. That record still stands.

Their second album was similarly successful, charting around the world and being supported by a UK and Ireland tour.

The Priests view their music as a force for good. It has a unifying quality that brings together people of all faiths.

Eugene says: "We came out of a very troubled environment in Northern Ireland and we always found that music was a great healer. It gave people the opportunity to meet people from other traditions. Music always created a very safe environment, particularly during The Troubles, which were raging when we were going to college. Today's world is topsy turvy and there are still serious threats on the world stage. It's a bewildering place for people. Music gives people a sense of calm, serenity and hope."

By Andy Richardson