Fr. Purcell is the parish priest of Clara Kilkenny and serves as the national vocations coordinator and immigrant field officer for the Irish Conference of Catholic Bishops.  Fr. Purcell is qualified in media broadcasting and communications and has worked as a journalist with local newspapers.  He lectures in Kimmage research and development center on Communicating the Message, a course designed for International ministers coming to work in Ireland. A native of Kilkenny city Fr. Purcell has been involved in local radio since the 1980s and worked with the founder of Kilkenny local radio, Rev. Gerry Joyce.  He writes for national magazines on religious and social affairs topics.  Fr. Purcell hosts the Saturday morning religious program “spirit alive,” which presents topics of a faith and religious nature including book reviews, interviews, Christian music, international ecumenical news and information from local churches.  Fr. Purcell Willie is director of the internationally acclaimed “Kilkenny Gospel Choir” who provides the music ministry for services as part of the Spirit Alive program. The choir takes the message of Community Radio Kilkenny City to the many countries worldwide.