Next day Abdulla comes to my office with the CD and tells me that Dillon was one of his favorite artists and that he was so pleased that she had won BBC2′s Folk album of the year. Now my ears pricked up and we started talking some more – it transpires that he studied in Bradford and Leeds and was friendly with a couple of guys who played in a folk group and used to enjoy going to gigs and listening to the music collection of his friends and fell in love with Irish folk music particularly Cara Dillon.

Abdulla is one of the sweetest guys in the world and I must thank him for introducing me to this artist and for lending (he actually gave me his copy to keep) me the CD as it has introduced me to Dillon and made me fall in love with her, her voice and everything about this album.

I am not too familiar with folk songs but I do know when an album is full of dazzling guitar, piano, melancholy pipes and Dillon’s iridescent vocals and has a beautifully balanced production. Dillon’s forte is the way she effortlessness expresses emotion; demonstrated with ease on the unaccompanied vocal of the Gaelic tune Fil, Fil A Run O which for me provides the highlight of the album – it’s impossible not be held enthralled and captivated by her magic. Hill of Thieves is gorgeous; dripping with comfort music for lost souls, or for people like me who simply love great music – Cara Dillon and her magic deserve a wider audience.

I’m aware that Hill of Thieves is not the usual type of music discussed on this musicforthemonth but it really is good – highly recommended.