Ireland Case No. 3747Contempt of court (breach of order not to trespass) · Co. Westmeath · 25 Feb 2026
Court refers Enoch Burke's €31,549 legal costs to adjudicator in Wilson Hospital School contempt case
The High Court in Dublin referred the calculation of €31,549.14 in legal costs owed by Enoch Burke to Wilson Hospital School, Co Westmeath, to a legal cost adjudicator, in the long-running contempt of court case stemming from a 2022 dispute over a student's name and pronoun.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court20 Jan
4 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports38 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe judge said Burke speaks as though he has no free will and that it was pre-determined he would return to the school after release. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe judge said most rational people would have stayed home to work on their case, but Burke went back to the school where he is not wanted and breached the court order again. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe judge said Burke has followed a disastrous legal strategy from start to finish and doubled down on defeats. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe judge said Burke lost every legal battle except an objective bias claim against the composition of a previous DAP. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatBurke is an Evangelical Christian who taught German and history at Wilson's Hospital School. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatBurke was still on the payroll of the Department of Education. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatBurke had sought a temporary injunction against a Disciplinary Appeals Panel reviewing his dismissal from Wilson's Hospital School. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatThe hearing was to discuss the process following two resignations from the DAP and whether the board of management could join as a notice party. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatBurke interjected while barrister Rosemary Mallon was outlining proposals to constitute a new DAP. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatBurke accused the court of an abuse of power and said he had a right to justice. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatBurke's mother Martina told the barrister she was a foreign presence in the court. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatBurke's sister Ammi said Geraldine O'Brien, the ASTI representative, was still sitting on the DAP panel. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatBurke's mother and sister were also escorted out of the court by gardaí. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatThe dispute stems from a 2022 request by the school's then-principal to address a student by a new name and pronoun. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatBurke accused solicitors for the school of lying and prevarication. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatMs Mallon told the court that Burke was still on the payroll of the Department of Education. (galwaybeo.ie)
- whereWilson Hospital School is in County Westmeath. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge gave his written judgment on 20 January 2026 explaining his decision on 19 January to commit Burke to Mountjoy Prison for contempt of court for continuing to trespass on the school. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge ordered Burke's microphone be muted and said he could see no reason not to award costs against him. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtBurke's new case against the DAP is due back in court on 4 February 2026. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtBurke was appearing in court online from Mountjoy Prison. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtEnoch Burke was removed from the High Court by gardaí on 20 February 2026. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJudge Brian Cregan directed gardaí to return Burke to Mountjoy Prison after he refused to sit down. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtBurke is imprisoned at Mountjoy Prison over contempt of court for breaching orders not to trespass at the school. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe proceedings were scheduled to resume with Burke attending via videolink on Friday afternoon. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA judge ordered gardaí to return Enoch Burke to Mountjoy Prison. (galwaybeo.ie)
- courtMr Justice Brian Cregan presided over the hearing. (galwaybeo.ie)
- courtWhen Burke did not sit down, the judge directed gardaí to return him to Mountjoy Prison. (galwaybeo.ie)
- courtProceedings were scheduled to resume with Burke attending via videolink on Friday afternoon. (galwaybeo.ie)
- courtMason Hayes & Curran calculated the legal costs as €31,549.14. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe legal firm did not charge for trainee hours. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtEnoch Burke has been imprisoned at Mountjoy Prison for contempt of court relating to breaches of orders not to trespass at the school. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherBurke is a teacher of German and History. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherBurke claims he is in jail because of his opposition to transgenderism and a requirement to call a pupil 'they/them' and by a new name. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe judge said Burke is in jail for refusal to obey court orders not to trespass following his dismissal for gross misconduct. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherBurke has been imprisoned at Mountjoy Prison over contempt of court relating to breaches of orders not to trespass at the school. (galwaybeo.ie)
- otherBurke is an Evangelical Christian who taught German and history at the school. (galwaybeo.ie)
- otherEnoch Burke is an evangelical Christian who taught German and history at Wilson Hospital School. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 25 Feb2026Court hears calculation of money Enoch Burke owes in legal costs to exact cent
Court referred the €31,549.14 legal costs calculation to a legal cost adjudicator; Mason Hayes & Curran had applied a voluntary 15% reduction and not charged for trainee hours.
accused, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke - 20 Feb2026Enoch Burke removed from court by gardai after refusing judge's orders
Burke was removed from the High Court and ordered back to Mountjoy Prison during a hearing about the DAP process and whether the board of management could join as a notice party; his mother and sister were also escorted out; proceedings to resume via videolink.
accused, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burkesuspect, female, irish (judged from name)suspect, female, irish (judged from name) - 20 Feb2026Enoch Burke removed from court by gardai after refusing judge's orders
Describes Burke's removal from the High Court on 20 February 2026 after refusing to sit down, with his mother and sister also escorted out; proceedings to resume via videolink the same afternoon.
accused, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burkeaccused, female, irish (judged from name)accused, female, irish (judged from name) - 20 Jan2026Judge says jailed Enoch Burke 'doubles down on defeats'
Judge's written judgment explaining the reasoning for Burke's committal to prison for contempt of court, including his criticism of Burke's legal strategy and the costs order.
convicted, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke