The McGuires have long been stalwarts of fiddles and bows. With his brother Seamus, Manus McGuire has never encountered much difficulty in cornering the market in pensive, considered playing, whether it be Breton, Irish, Scottish or French Canadian.

His reputation was forged many years ago with Buttons And Bows, and Saffron And Blue marks his long-overdue debut. It’s a collection of remarkably catholic taste. Scaffolded by a hefty nine original tunes, he swing shifts between the high spirits of Scottish hornpipes such as ‘The Ariel Hornpipe’ and Canadian quadrilles (engineered with remarkable precision and grace).

There’s a certain McGuire penchant for the waltz which finds voice here too: Manus’ self-penned opener ‘Genevieve’s Waltz’ is a model of restrained elegance, curtsying and demurring in all the right places.