Enoch Burke returns to protest at Wilson’s Hospital school at beginning of new term

Teacher Enoch Burke was present at Wilson’s Hospital School on Monday morning as the new school term began.

Mr Burke was previously dismissed by the Co Westmeath school for alleged gross misconduct and has been embroiled in a long-running legal battle with his former employer.

A Garda spokesman said no reports were made to the force regarding Mr Burke’s presence at the school, which he is understood to have entered in protest on Monday.

In a ruling in July, Mr Burke was ordered to pay legal costs to the Wilson’s Hospital School in its successful High Court action against him.

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Mr Justice Alexander Owens also made an order restraining Mr Burke from trespassing on the school premises in Multyfarnham, but he said the German and History teacher was not prevented from attending outside the school gates.

Mr Burke was in January told that he would have to pay €700 for each day he refused to purge his contempt of court orders – namely that he stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School. It is understood that he has since accrued fines of more than €140,000 as his contempt of court continued.

Wilson’s Hospital School initially obtained an injunction against Mr Burke last August, restraining his attendance at the school premises, after he continued to show up despite being placed on administrative leave.

The decision to suspend the Co Mayo teacher followed his objection to former principal Niamh McShane’s direction in May of last year for teachers to address a transitioning student by their chosen name and use the pronouns “they/them”, and his publicly voiced opposition to that direction at a school event in June 2022.

Mr Burke has repeatedly claimed that this instruction infringes on this right to religious freedom and expression.

Mr Burke was jailed last September for contempt and freed after 108 days on December 21st without purging it. Mr Brian Justice O’Moore released him for reasons including that he considered Mr Burke was exploiting his imprisonment for his own ends, but made clear that the teacher could face further sanction if he returned to the school.

Mr Burke denies the allegation of gross misconduct made by the school and is appealing the disciplinary hearing which resulted in his dismissal through the courts.