In 1884, Irish Nationalist William O’Brien attacked Dublin Castle—the seat of the English government in Ireland—by accusing British officials of practicing sodomy. O’Brien was building up a case against Gustavus Cornwall, the head of the Irish post office, when Cornwall sued him for libel. During the trial, a “gay subculture” which existed amongst the Irish upper-class was discovered. Cornwall was accused of engaging in homosexual behavior through various upper-class locations, events, and networking. It was also suggested that many of Cornwall’s partners were soldiers. These trials thus did not only undermine the British that existed in the Irish elite and in governmental positions, but the British army. 

At the conclusion of the trial, Cornwall was sentenced to two years in prison. One of the lawyers associated with the case expressed an attitude towards Cornwall’s behavior shared by much of the public: “[Cornwall’s “crime” is] an abominable crime – a crime so foul that it would be better, ten thousand times better, that he should be charged with one which would send him to an ignominious grave."

The trial ultimately set off a “queer paranoia.” Following Cornwall’s case, eight more suspected sodomites were put on trial. One of these suspected sodomites was the head of Ireland’s detective department. The Irish nationalist cause, through the newspapers and the media, used these trials to tie the British parliament and army to homosexuality.