Brendan McGowan is a local historian, a freelance writer and Development Officer at Galway City Museum. He holds MA degrees from Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (Irish Heritage Studies) and the University of Ulster (Museum Practice & Management). Since graduating, he has worked for the National Museum of Ireland and Galway City Museum. He has also worked as a freelance writer for National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland and also co-ordinate's the website and image archive for Untold Stories: The Leeds Irish Community. Last year he self-published Eyre Square 300: Aspects of its History, and is interested in the history of Ireland through both photographic and textual formats.