Three members of Enoch Burke's family have been banned from attending court hearings relating to the former schoolteacher's litigation after a High Court judge described their conduct as an "affront to the administration of justice."
Judge Brian Cregan made an order excluding Martina Burke (mother) and siblings Isaac and Ammi Burke from all hearings involving Enoch Burke's dispute with Wilson's Hospital School and related litigation.
The Behaviour
Judge Cregan said he had "lost count" of incidents where he directed the three not to interrupt, ordered them to leave the courtroom, and called gardaí to remove them when they refused. He described the disruption as "co-ordinated and concerted."
He said he had never experienced anything like the 'constant level of interruption, shouting, roaring and deliberate disruption of court proceedings' by the three individuals since October 2025.
He found they were attempting to "bully and abuse" opposing counsel and "bully and intimidate" judges, wasting court time and Garda resources.
The Background
Enoch Burke, an evangelical Christian, was suspended and later dismissed from Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath after confronting then-principal Niamh McShane at a school religious event in June 2022. The dispute arose after McShane requested teachers address a student by a new name and with "they/them" pronouns - Burke maintained this violated his religious beliefs.
He was formally dismissed for gross misconduct after a Disciplinary Appeal Panel (DAP) rejected his challenge in May. Burke is now challenging that decision.
The Order
The ban prohibits Martina, Isaac and Ammi Burke from attending in person at any future hearings involving:
Wilson's Hospital School
The DAP
The Minister for Education
Members of the Teaching Council disciplinary panel
Any related litigation
Burke Family Defence
The three made written submissions opposing the ban, claiming they needed details of alleged disruptions to defend themselves and asserting a constitutional right to attend public court proceedings.
Judge Cregan rejected both arguments:
"The idea that these three members of the Burke family are not aware of the conduct which is the subject matter of this decision is simply ridiculous."
On the constitutional right to open justice, he ruled: "This provision does not give any individual member of the public the entitlement to cause enormous disruption to the case before the court, or to shout at judges, and at opposing counsel."
Isaac Burke applied for a stay, calling the judgment "unprecedented" with no clear legal basis. The judge responded: "It was the behaviour of Isaac, Ammi and Martina Burke that was unprecedented."
Next Steps
Enoch Burke is due to move an application next week for permission to challenge the DAP decision dismissing his appeal against dismissal.