The Lee Brothers.
The Lee family were Joe, Frank, Ed (Ted), Phil, Mary, and Kitty. Frank was in London but the rest of them emigrated to Philadelphia. Frank formed the Tara Ceilidhe Band. His wife, Nora McGowan, recorded one record with the band. Frank was politically ‘active’. In the 1940’s Frank had been referred to as the ‘Paul Whiteman of Irish music’. He had an extensive repertoire all committed to memory. He was arrested once with Brendan Behan when Behan went to England after he got out of jail when he wasn’t supposed to go anywhere. Frank was released and Behan was deported, again. Frank knew DeValera and Collins on a personal level. Frank and Nora had no children. He is buried in Dublin close to Douglas Hyde.
Ed (Ted) Lee played the piano and ran the Four Provinces Orchestra in Philadelphia. Joe Lee sang and recorded with the band. They held weekly dances mostly at the ‘Grand Fraternity Ballroom’ in Philly on Arch St. near 16th. The building was several stories high and had a swimming pool in the basement. If you went down to the basement during a dance, you could see the waves on the pool caused by the thumping on the floor above. Ed Lee and his wife Delia had no children. The Lee’s did ‘The Irish Hour’ radio show in Philly for many years.
The above is based on notes from Bill Bradfield whose mother was Mary Lee.
