An Garda Síochána attended the family home of jailed Irish teacher Enoch Burke in Castlebar, County Mayo. The visit followed a High Court order issued two days earlier, directing the immediate arrest and imprisonment of Burke’s mother, Martina Burke, and his sister, Ammi Burke, for contempt of court.
The incident has reignited public debate around the long-running legal saga involving Enoch Burke, who has been imprisoned for extended periods since 2022 for repeatedly breaching court injunctions related to his former employment at Wilson’s Hospital School.
The High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Brian Cregan, found Martina Burke (a teacher) and Ammi Burke (a trained solicitor) guilty of contempt in the face of the court. This stemmed from their conduct during a February 20, 2026, hearing in Dublin, where they allegedly shouted and interrupted proceedings to such an extent that the session had to be paused and the women were physically removed by gardaí.
On March 4, 2026, the judge sentenced each woman to two weeks in prison, describing their behaviour as “disgraceful,” “indefensible,” and part of a broader “family circus” that needed to end. He emphasized that no individual or family is above the law, regardless of religious or ideological beliefs. Neither woman was present in court for the ruling, prompting the immediate warrant for their arrest and committal to prison.
Gardaí arrived at the Burke family residence to execute the order. Reports and video footage shared online showed multiple officers — including some in high-visibility clothing — present at the property, speaking with family members and seeking information about Martina and Ammi Burke’s whereabouts. Supporters of the family described the scene as a heavy-handed operation involving a significant number of officers, framing it as an excessive response tied to the underlying dispute over gender pronouns and religious freedom.
Enoch Burke’s legal troubles originated in 2022 when he objected — on grounds of his evangelical Christian beliefs — to using preferred pronouns for a transgender student at his school, which has a Church of Ireland ethos. After refusing to comply with school directives or court orders to stay away from the premises during his suspension, he was found in contempt multiple times and has spent over 600 cumulative days in custody, primarily in Mountjoy Prison.
The case has polarized opinion in Ireland:
– Supporters view Burke as a principled stand against compelled speech and ideological conformity, often highlighting what they see as disproportionate state enforcement.
– Critics argue the matter concerns obedience to lawful court orders and school policies, not the pronouns issue itself, and that repeated defiance has necessitated escalating measures.
The recent development involving his mother and sister marks a rare extension of contempt sanctions to family members not directly party to the original proceedings, based solely on their courtroom behavior.
### Public and Media Reactions
The Garda attendance quickly circulated on social media, with posts from accounts aligned with the Burke family portraying it as an overreach — some claiming “huge numbers” of officers had “stormed” the house to arrest the women for actions linked to Enoch’s original stance on pronouns. Mainstream outlets, including RTÉ, the Irish Times, BBC, and others, reported the story factually as the execution of a contempt warrant following documented courtroom disruptions.
As of March 6, 2026, it remained unclear whether Martina and Ammi Burke had been located and taken into custody, though the court order stands and enforcement efforts were ongoing. The episode underscores the deep divisions the case continues to expose in Irish society regarding religious freedom, judicial authority, gender identity policies in education, and the boundaries of protest and contempt.
The situation remains fluid, with potential for further court reviews or appeals as the Burke family maintains its position of principled resistance.
🚨BREAKING:
Huge numbers of Gardai storm Enoch Burke’s house demanding to know where his mother and sister are so they can throw them both in prison.
This all started because Irish teacher
Enoch Burke refused to call a boy ‘they’.
He’s now been in prison for over 600 days. pic.twitter.com/SSU5bdmBta— TheLiberal.ie (@TheLiberal_ie) March 6, 2026
