Irish Music in America is currently enjoying its highest profile for quite some time. Cherish The Ladies, though, have been on the case for almost two decades, in one form or another, and have always sought to do something different with the music, while keeping one hand planted firmly on the touch stone.

The male supporting cast – for that is what the title signifies – reads like an honour roll of international folk music, with performers such as Liam Clancy, Paddy Reilly and Brian Kennedy linking up with the likes of Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie and Tom Chapin in the pursuit of excellence.

With such a line-up you can be assured that there are real standouts.

One of these has to be Luka Bloom's reading of ‘I'll Walk Beside You’. I listened to this yesterday in a sweltering traffic jam and found myself smiling idiotically at a young lady who tried to remove my offside wing without my consent!

Elsewhere Kevin Glackin, Davy Spillane and Co. bale away for all they are worth on ‘The Colliers’ Set’ and Brian Kennedy's version of ‘Bonny Blue Eyed Nancy’ is heartstoppingly beautiful.

To find out more, you are strongly advised not to leave this cherishable album alone.