Paddy McGowan

For the Fianna Fáil senator, see Patrick McGowan (Irish politician).

John Patrick McGowan, known as Paddy McGowan, is a Northern Irish politician.

Patrick McGowan
Member of Omagh District Council
In office 17 May 1989 – 22 May 2014
Preceded by	Bernadette Grant
Succeeded by	Council abolished
Constituency	Omagh Town
In office 15 May 1985 – 17 May 1989
Preceded by	New district
Succeeded by	Seamus Shields
Constituency	Mid Tyrone
Northern Ireland Forum Member for West Tyrone
In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998
Preceded by	New forum
Succeeded by	Forum dissolved
Personal details
Born	County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Party	Independent (from 1998)
Other political affiliations	Social Democratic and Labour (until 1998)

Background

McGowan worked in the fire service^[1] before joining the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).

In 1981, McGowan stood for the SDLP in Omagh District "C", but was not elected.^[2] In 1985, he was elected in Mid Tyrone, and in 1989, he moved to represent Omagh Town.^[3]

McGowan was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996, representing West Tyrone.^[4] He held his council seat in 1997,^[5] but left the SDLP in 1998, complaining that it had become too nationalist.

McGowan stood as an "Independent Community Candidate" at the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election, but did not come close to taking a seat.^[4] Despite this, he held his council seat as an independent in 2001 and 2005.^[5] He is the Chairman of Omagh Safer Streets,^[6] holds an MBE and is a Justice of the Peace.