Editing Brendan Howlin (section)

==Early life==
Born into a political family in [[Wexford]], Howlin is the son of John and Molly Howlin (née Dunbar), and named after [[Brendan Corish]], the local [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour]] [[Teachta Dála|TD]] and later leader of the Labour Party. Howlin's father was a trade union official who served as secretary of the [[Irish Transport and General Workers' Union]], in Wexford, for 40 years. He also secured election as a Labour member of [[Wexford Corporation]], where he served for eighteen years, and was also an election agent to Brendan Corish. Howlin's mother was also strongly involved in local Labour politics.<ref name=WexPeop18Dec03>{{cite news|url=http://www.wexfordpeople.ie/news/family-was-most-important-thing-in-life-of-molly-howlin-987909.html|title=Family was most important thing in life of Molly Howlin|work=[[Wexford People]]|date=18 December 2003|access-date=12 June 2008|archive-date=10 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410200619/http://www.wexfordpeople.ie/news/family-was-most-important-thing-in-life-of-molly-howlin-987909.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Howlin's brother Ted is a former member of [[Wexford County Council]] and Lord Mayor of Wexford.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Howlin's sister-in-law hit by pane of glass outside opera house |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/howlins-sister-in-law-hit-by-pane-of-glass-outside-opera-house-28822774.html |access-date=21 October 2022|website=independent |date=24 October 2012 |language=en}}</ref> Howlin was raised on William Street in Wexford town with his three siblings.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1 February 2020|title='Politics is my life' |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/politics-is-my-life/38903282.html |access-date=15 August 2023|website=Independent.ie |language=en}}</ref>
 
Howlin grew up in Wexford town and was educated locally in the Faythe and at Wexford [[Congregation of Christian Brothers|CBS]].<ref name=":0" /> He later attended [[St Patrick's College, Dublin|St Patrick's College]], [[Drumcondra, Dublin]], and qualified as a primary school teacher.<ref name=LabProfile/> During his career as a teacher he was active in the [[Irish National Teachers' Organisation]], before embarking on a career in full-time politics.