Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on May 18th 2006 by slainte.
This tune has been added to 42 tunebooks.
Also known as Flowers Of Limerick, The Flowers Of Limerick, Mills Are Grinding.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Mills Are Grinding, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
E|DGGF G2GA|BGBd cAGF|D2DE FEFG|AdcA BGAF|
DGGF G2GA|BGBd cAFA|d2de fdcA|AGFA G3:|
B|dggf g2ga|bgga bgaf|d2de fefg|agfg aggf|
dggf g2ga|bgga bgaf|d2de fdcA|AGFA G3:|
"Variation"
E|DGGF ~G3A|BGBd cAGF|DFFE ~F3G|ABcA BGAF|
DGGF ~G3A|BGBd cAFA|d2 e/f/g fdcA|FGAF ~G3:|
B|dggf ~g3a|bg~g2 bgaf|dffe ~f3g|agfg ag~g2|
dggf ~g3a|bg~g2 bgaf|d2 e/f/g fdcA|FGAF ~G3:|
The Mills are Grinding (reel)
East Galway tune originally recorded by The Ballinakill Traditional Players in the 1920's. I've been listening to the tune on Stephen Moloney's grandson Sean Moloney's recording "Potsticks," then suddenly realised a slightly different version of it is on another lovely recording "The Smoky Chimney" by Gerry Harrington, Eoghann O'Sullivan, and Paul de Grae, on which it's listed as the two-part setting of "The Flowers of Limerick."
I think this is a really nice tune for beginning flute or whistle players, so keep the first version very simple. The second one is just an example of how you could play it with a bit of variation and ornamentation.
# Posted on May 18th 2006 by slainte
I find this to be very similar to The First House In Connaught http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2601. And Slainte, I'm sure you've already noticed that all these appear to be relatives of The Bunch Of Keys/Paddy On The Turnpike but in different modes (maj/dor/mix, see comments sections): http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/344 http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/338
# Posted on May 18th 2006 by Dow
Related Tunes
The Bunch of Keys: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/344
Paddy on the Turnpike: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/338
Another East Galway flute player Mike Rafferty's version of "The Mills are Grinding" can be found at JC's ABC tune finder. It was transcribed by Lesl.
# Posted on May 18th 2006 by slainte
Beat you!
# Posted on May 18th 2006 by Dow
Oops....
# Posted on May 18th 2006 by slainte
There are tons of similar tunes in the same key. But this one is different from any others in G.
Peter Horan and Gerry Harrington actually recorded a bit similar version of "The Flowers of Limerick" as "The Bunch of Keys" on their recent duet album "Fortune Favours the Merry." It's a 3-part version in Gmaj!
# Posted on May 18th 2006 by slainte
Another East Galway musician Joe Burke recorded this on the flute! The title of his album "The Tailor's Choice" in fact refers to Stephen Moloney.
# Posted on May 18th 2006 by slainte
This tune can be heard on Volume V of the IAANJ session CD series -- Mike and Mary Rafferty hosting -- Lesl's transcription of this tune can also be found on the session website, www.liamhart.org/session.
# Posted on May 18th 2006 by Liam Francis
I haven't heard Mike Rafferty play this tune but believe he cites The Ballinakill Traditional Players, or The Ballinakill Ceilidh Band, as the source. For the info on the scene in East Galway in 20's and 30's, read the biography of Lucy Farr: http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/farr.htm
# Posted on May 18th 2006 by slainte
The Mills are Grinding
You can find the Ballinakill Traditional Dance Players' old recording of the tune here: http://juneberry78s.com/sounds/ListenToIrishDance.htm
# Posted on July 10th 2006 by slainte
I've just found this is the one Paddy Keenan plays as "The Bunch of Keys" on Doublin'.
# Posted on August 30th 2006 by slainte
I wonder if the another title of the tune "The Flowers of Limerick" is an allusion to "The Flowers of Edinburgh": http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2549 The two tunes have similar openings.
# Posted on October 3rd 2006 by slainte
Scottish Ancestor
According to the notes of Peter Horan and Gerry Harrington's duet album, this reel is related to "The Ewe Wi' The Crookit Horn": http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/5610
# Posted on May 18th 2007 by slainte
Also related to the uncommon version of the Rainy Day: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/7228 The two tunes would make a nice set.
# Posted on May 18th 2007 by slainte
Flowers Of Limerick
Here's my version
X: 1
T: The Flowers of Limerick
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
DGGF ~G3A|BGBd cBAF|D3E ~F3G|ABcA BGAF|
DGGF ~G3A|BGBd cA~A2|d2 (3efg fdcA|1 AGFA G3E:|2 AGFA G3B||
|:dggf ~g3a|bg~g2 bgaf|~d3e ~f3g|af~f2 afge|
dggf ~g3a|bg~g2 bgaf|d2 (3efg fdcA|1 AGFA G3B:|2 AGFA G3E||
# Posted on May 21st 2007 by Dow
Jig version from O'Neills: "The Barronstown Races"
"The Flowers of Limerick" or "Cronin's Favourite"" is no. 768 in O'Neills 1001. I discovered this reel after having just found "The Barronstown Races" (jig no. 248 in O'Neills 1001). "Barronstown races" is a very attactive 4 part jig version of this reel (or perhaps it's the other way round, both were contributed by Edward Cronin of Tipperary). I think Barronstown Races is near Limerick Junction in Tipperary.
T: The Barronstown Races
B: Francis O'Neill: "The Dance Music of Ireland" (1907) no. 248
R: Double jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: G
F|DGG GFG|BGc BAF|DFE FEF|A2d cAF|DGA GFG|BAG Bcd|fed cAF|AGG G2:|
|:d|dgg gfg|abg fed|cBc fef|abg fed|dgg gdc|BAG Bcd|fed cAF|AGG G2:|
|:F|DGA BAG|(d/c/B)d cAG|FGA cAF|(c/B/A)c BAF|MGFG BAB|cBc dbg|fed cAF|AGG G2:|
|:d|gdg gbg|fdf (f/g/a)f|ede (e/f/g)e|dBG GAc|MBAB cBc|Mdcd eag|fed cAF|AGG G2:|
# Posted on November 18th 2008 by hh