State Papers: Warnings over bad publicity after ‘gay bashing’ of US writer in Sligo

US author Robert Drake.

Staff in the White House warned the Irish embassy in Washington almost 25 years ago about the danger of bad publicity following the violent assault of a prominent gay American writer in Sligo.

The victim, Robert Drake, suffered serious injuries and was beaten “to within an inch of his life” in the assault which took place on January 31, 1999.