Writing & Commentary by Sorcha Rosa
Welcome to the Writing & Commentary archive on Simply Sorcha.
This is where I publish long-form analysis, investigative research, opinion pieces and personal reflections on the issues shaping Ireland today. My work focuses on intersex rights, transgender equality, LGBTQ+ politics, feminism, healthcare, sport, and the growing influence of organised anti-rights movements.
Drawing on lived experience alongside years of advocacy, coaching, public speaking and policy engagement, I examine both the headlines and the structures behind them. Many articles explore how legislation, media narratives, political organisations and public institutions affect marginalised communities, particularly intersex and transgender people.
Alongside political commentary, I also write about cycling, activism, public life, culture and the realities of living openly as an intersex trans woman in Ireland.
Whether analysing parliamentary debates, investigating campaign organisations, documenting community events or sharing personal experiences, the aim remains the same: evidence-led writing that challenges assumptions and encourages informed discussion.
New articles are published regularly.
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Maybe We Were the Last Trans Athletes
We were warned that trans athletes would overwhelm women’s sport. That invasion never came. Drawing on my own life as an elite cyclist, I ask whether my generation of trans athletes was not the beginning of something, but the end of it.
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No Welcome for Trump: Feminists, Migrants and Anti-Racists Prepare to Take to the Streets
Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland will be met with resistance. ROSA is organising a feminist action in Dublin on 10 September ahead of the wider No Welcome for Trump mobilisation on 12 September.
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Finally Building an All-Island LGBTQIA+ Movement
The All-Island LGBTQIA+ Forum in Derry showed how better communication, greater inclusion of smaller organisations and practical North-South cooperation are beginning to turn the idea of an all-island movement into something more tangible.
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Back in the Room: Where I’ll Be in the Months Ahead
After a quieter few months, I am returning to public advocacy. From the All-Island LGBTQIA+ Forum in Derry/L’Derry and Solidarity Summer School in Glendalough to a UCD debate on capitalism and feminism and discussions on LGBTQI+ ageing, here is where I’ll be over the coming months.
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The Curious Rise of Róisín Michaux
Róisín Michaux emerged rapidly in 2022 as a prominent gender-critical commentator. This article examines the chronology of her rise, the limited public record before 2022, her links to Irish and international gender-critical networks, her writing on transgender and intersex people, and the political campaign that has come to define her public identity.
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How Graham Linehan Allowed Hatred to Define His Legacy
Graham Linehan was once one of Britain’s most celebrated comedy writers. Today, his public identity is increasingly shaped not by Father Ted or The IT Crowd, but by years of anti-trans campaigning, online outrage and legal controversy. This opinion article examines how one of comedy’s most successful writers became defined by hostility towards transgender people…
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Bullying Victim to Bully: How Niall Boylan Built a Career Targeting Trans People
Niall Boylan frequently claims to be asking difficult questions, yet his public output reveals a consistent pattern: transgender people, particularly trans women, have become the focus of an increasingly relentless campaign. This opinion piece examines how his broadcasting, social media and political ambitions have converged around one of Ireland’s smallest and most vulnerable minorities.
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Trans Healthcare in Ireland: A Socialist Feminist Perspective
Ireland’s transgender healthcare system is failing the very people it is meant to serve. With waiting lists stretching for years, psychiatric gatekeeping, and increasing numbers of people forced into DIY healthcare, this article argues that the crisis is political rather than clinical. From a socialist feminist perspective, Sorcha Ní Fhaoláin examines why informed consent, public…
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Philip Dwyer: A Career Built on Hating Trans People.
Philip Dwyer has built his public profile around confrontation, outrage and anti-trans campaigning. This investigation examines his rhetoric, his political alliances, his claim to be a citizen journalist, and how transgender people have become the central target of his public identity.
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Using the Memory of Murdered Gay Men to Attack Trans People
Ken O’Flynn’s Pride Month speech claimed to defend gay people while attacking transgender inclusion. This article examines the rhetoric, the political strategy behind it, and why using the memory of murdered gay men to divide the LGBTQ+ community should concern everyone.