Currently on furlough from a teaching career, this fine singer has taken her time in releasing her debut album. It has been quite a while in the planning, but is well worth the wait. An engaging mix of the traditional and comtemporary, it showcases to strong effect a warm voice and also a talent for picking damn good songs.

The opening track ‘Nead Na Lachan’ sets the tone; bouncy and full of movement, it demonstrates an easy relationship to rhythm.

The real test of an album such as this – where the singer does not compose the material – is how the covers of the more distinctive material stand up. She has included at least two classics in this collection – ‘Who Knows Where The Time Goes’ and ‘Canadee-i-o’. That one doesn’t think of either Sandy Denny or Nic Jones except as source material puts Eilis’ achievement in perspective.

With Time To Sail, notice has been served that another fine singer has arrived on Platform One.