Karen, Lorna and Joleen McLaughlin, aka The Henry Sisters, do not cleave to any narrow definitions of folk or tradition. Their expansive world view is a rich source of nourishment when it comes to their creative process.

A Time to Grow is aptly titled, drawing inspiration from many quarters, from the curveball challenges imposed by the pandemic to the pain of war and conflict, counterbalanced by celebrations of new life. Their close harmonies are still their most powerful calling card, their voices interweaving with an intuition born of intimate genetic ties. For all The Henry Girls’ gentility, it’s this precise harmony singing that gives A Time to Grow a formidable backbone, supported by some welcome brass arrangements, propelling this collection into a roots space that promises to travel well.

Ríoghnach Connolly joins them for the call to sanity Not Your Fight, a deceptively direct commentary on the strife-engulfed times we live in. Their compositions are intriguing too: Inghinidhe na hÉireann, a tune dedicated to the women engaged in our early struggle for independence, is freewheeling and blue sky in its thinking.

The a cappella opening verse of the title track is a pitch-perfect curtain-raiser; the collection is cannily book ended by the lullaby Don’t Fear the Night – which is also a nod to their previous album, a tribute to The Boswell Sisters. This is a gracious and gutsy collection.