I am a native of that area, and when young, heard stories of men coming out of a local public house and going up to the church where his body laid in a vault which could be accessed by an open gate.
They took out his skull and proceeded to play a game of football around the cemetery, his reputation for deeds of horror on neighbours during 1798, when he was about 72 years old, having stayed in the minds of locals.
At the age of sixty-one, Gowan started a relationship with Margaret Hogan, a young local Protestant who was governess for his children.
She had served as dam for sixteen of Gowan's children, most of whom had lived, and she had [died], not from any specific disease, but from overuse, and in that respect was far from unique among Irish women of her era.
Now exalted to the rank of magistrate, and promoted to be captain of a corps of yeomen, he was zealous in exertions to inspire the people about Gorey with dutiful submission to the magistracy, and a respectful awe of the yeomanry.
On a public day in the week preceding the insurrection, the town of Gorey beheld the triumphal entry of Mr Gowan at the head of his corps, with his sword drawn, and a human finger stuck on the point of it.
The following excerpt describes one such incident: It was Hunter Gowan who had the final say regarding the fate of the rebels in the Shillelagh, Carnew and Clonegal area.
It was he who ordered De Renzy to shoot six prisoners in the Bay at Clonegal as an example to the other residents of the village of what happened to those who helped the rebels.
[8]John Hunter Gowan II was execrated for his brutality as a magistrate and commander of the Wingfield Yeomanry (the "Black Mob") in 1798.
Annesley Brownrigg, Esq, a magistrate of the county of Wexford, received nine-and-thirty charges of pillage and slaughter against Mr Hunter Gowan, and on the informations being submitted to General Hunter, he sent out a party of the Mid-Lothian cavalry to conduct him prisoner to Wexford, whither he was brought accordingly, and there it was determined to bring him to trial.