Fr Ray to join Daniel O'Donnell and set sail around Alaska

Still floating from his Britain's Got Talent experience, Fr Ray Kelly is now preparing to set sail on a new adventure as chaplain and entertainer on a cruise ship. 

The Oldcastle priest will join the All Star Irish Charter Cruise and on board line-up of entertainment including Daniel O'Donnell  when it cruises around Alaska next May. The Allstar cruises began 30 years ago when Irish American Gertrude Byrne started small Irish themed events on board a cruise ship.

"We sailed out of New York Harbor joined by 80 passengers and some of New York’s finest musicians. While I had been promoting other Irish events, I had absolutely no idea of the organizational skills required for successful cruising. We were all novices on this incredible voyage as this was also a first cruise for my guests. The ship was small, our staterooms quite plain but the food was incredible and the midnight buffets were truly indulgent.

 

"We were assigned a small lounge on the top of the ship to host our Irish entertainment. Let me tell you we had so much fun
that we were the envy of every other passenger onboard. We danced nights away, enjoying the Siege of Ennis, Jiving, Polka’s, Old Time Waltz’s and ending each night with our Anthems. I recall coming back with hundreds of names given to me by other passengers that wanted to be notified of my next Irish cruise.

Speaking on the Ray Darcy radio show on RTE radio earlier today Fr Kelly said he was delighted to get the call and be asked to act as both chaplain and entertainer to the cruise.
"I got a call a while back asking me if I'd be interested in being a chaplain and perhaps an entertainer on a cruise and a lady from America contacted me and there's one coming up now next May. I've never been on a cruise ship before in my life and this one is around Alaska and I thought 'wow, that would be so nice' so it hasn't even been advertised yet [it's sold out according to the website] and I'll be chaplian and entertaining so fulfillig both roles, the dream job," laughed the parish priest  who made it the semi-finals stage of BGT. When told Daniel O'Donnell would also be part of the entertainment on board, Fr Ray said the 'pressure would be on.

On his BGT experience, Fr Ray said he was disappointed not to make the finals but "overall it was one of those experiences that I'll always see as a big positive in my life". 
"In my audtion when I sang  'Everybody Hurts, and Simon said it was one of his favourite auditions ever, it just blew me away. I would have loved to have made the final but it's one of those things. I know a lot of Irish people couldn't vote either so that was another factor but it was a terrific experience.
Fr Kelly said he hadn't been asked to sing for the Pope during his visit to Ireland in August but would "jump at the chance."