More than 50 years ago, during Ireland’s swinging showbands era, the Miami Showband was one of the most popular entertainment acts in the country with a line-up of Catholic and Protestant musicians from both sides of the Border.
But all that changed early one morning in July 1975 when three members of the band were murdered in a UVF attack near Newry as they returned from a gig in Banbridge.
Now Belfast native Des Lee, one of the survivors who alerted the world to the atrocity, has finally written his life story.
It’s entitled “My Saxophone Saved My Life: The Miami Showband Massacre and My Quest for Answers” by Des Lee with Ken Murray and is published by Red Stripe Press.
And it chronicles everything from Des’s decision to shun the secure pensionable job his mother craved for him to his breakthrough as a professional musician, performing in the Carnegie Hall and Las Vegas to the horror of that day in 1975, the search for the truth about it, his subsequent emigration to South Africa and drift into alcoholism.
Des Lee will be a welcome guest in the Saint Patrick Centre, Downpatrick on Thursday evening, November 27th at 7.30 pm when he will be in conversation with author and journalist Martin O’Brien and sign copies of his memoir.
This is the latest in an unfolding series of conversations which began with Baroness Sue Gray, continued with Fr Peter McVerry SJ and will in the coming period include among others Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, Bishop Alan McGuckian of Down and Connor and investigative reporter, author and commentator Sam McBride. Tickets £10. Call 02844619000