Three singing Irish priests and an order of French nuns are the main contenders at the Classic Brit awards next month.
The Priests, made up of Father Eugene O'Hagan, his brother Martin and Father
David Delargy, from Derry and Antrim, have sold more than three million
albums across the world.
They are nominated for their third album, Noel, which was released last
Christmas.
By the standards of most music awards ceremonies, the Classic Brits has never
been an especially louche gathering though its contemporary counterpart, the
Brits, has a litany of bad behaviour on its record.
But, when the great and the good from the classical music world gather at the
Royal Albert Hall next month, there will be an even more saintly atmosphere
than usual.
The priests will be pitted against the nuns of the Abbaye Notre-Dame de
l'Annonciation, from a region of France near Avignon, for the Album of the
Year award.
The nuns -- whose record, Voices: Chant From Avignon, comprises Gregorian
chant -- were discovered by the record label, Decca, in a sweep of more than
70 convents across the world, as part of a mission to find the pre-eminent
performers of the discipline.
Decca is also home to the Rolling Stones and
Amy Winehouse.