Martin Bernard McGowan (7 November 1890 – 14 June 1958) was an Irish politician and teacher. He was born in Aghamore, Ballyshannon, County Leitrim, to parents James McGowan, national school principal, and Margaret Jane McGowan (née Gallagher). He was educated locally before going to St Patrick's College, Dublin, to train as a primary schoolteacher. He returned to Leitrim after graduation and succeeded his father as principal of Drummons national school. He was involved with Conradh na Gaeilge and the GAA, and was influenced by fellow Leitrim man

Seán Mac Diarmada Seán Mac Diarmada (27 January 1883 – 12 May 1916), also known as Seán MacDermott, was an Irish republican political activist and revolutionary leader. He was one of the seven leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916, which he helped to organ ...

. In 1914 he joined the Irish Volunteers and became heavily involved with the organisation and training of Volunteer companies throughout the county. Although he did not take part in the

1916 Easter Rising The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...

, the execution of his friend Mac Diarmada had a profound impact on him. During the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...

he rose to become commanding officer of the Leitrim brigade of the Irish Republican Army and went on the run in 1920. Leitrim was not particularly active during the 1919–1921 period but his small column, based in the north of the county, was involved in several engagements in collaboration with the more active columns in Sligo, most notably the ambush at Moneygold on 25 October 1920. He opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and was active in the Sligo–Leitrim border area during the

Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War ( ga, Cogadh Cathartha na hÉireann; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United ...

with the Anti-Treay IRA. He was first elected to

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...

as an anti-Treaty Sinn Féin Teachta Dála (TD) for the Leitrim–Sligo constituency at the 1923 general election. He did not take his seat in the Dáil due to Sinn Féin's abstentionist policy. He was disappointed by the decision of Éamon de Valera to enter the Dáil in 1926, and never joined Fianna Fáil. He did not contest the June 1927 general election. He joined Clann na Poblachta on its founding in 1946, and served on its national executive. In 1950 he was elected to Leitrim County Council as a Clann na Poblachta candidate and was re-elected in 1955. He stood as a Clann na Poblachta candidate at the

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United ...

and

1954 Events January * January 1 – The Soviet Union ceases to demand war reparations from West Germany. * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown-IBM experiment: The fir ...

general elections for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency but was not elected. He married Mary McGowan in June 1929; and they had seven sons. He died on 14 June 1958.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McGowan, Martin 1890 births 1958 deaths Early Sinn Féin TDs Clann na Poblachta politicians Members of the 4th Dáil Irish schoolteachers Alumni of St Patrick's College, Dublin Clann na Poblachta candidates in Dáil elections