Siobhán O’Dowd: Remembering a Cork community icon and human rights activist

Siobhán O’Dowd’s decades-long activism in Cork transformed communities, championed equality, and helped put rainbow flags on public buildings

Activist Siobhan O'Dowd: A passionate advocate of marginalised groups, her belief in the power of collective action to create change inspired others to take the initiative in their own communities. 

As Cork’s LGBTI+ Awareness Week drew to a close this year, rainbow flags at City Hall flew at half-mast in memory of Siobhán O’Dowd, who died on May 17 following a battle with cancer. 

Social justice, human rights, and rewriting history from the margins were trademarks of her activism, writing, and community work for more than three decades.