Irish teacher Enoch Burke will spend Christmas 2025 in Mountjoy Prison, marking the first time in his protracted legal battle that he has not been granted a seasonal release. On December 3, High Court Judge Brian Cregan ruled that Burke, jailed since late November for contempt of court, would remain incarcerated unless he purges his contempt by pledging to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School in Co Westmeath.
The dispute originated in 2022 when Burke refused a school directive to address a transgender student by their preferred name and pronouns, citing his Christian beliefs. He was suspended, dismissed for gross misconduct, and barred from the premises by court injunction. Despite this, Burke repeatedly returned, leading to multiple imprisonments totaling over 550 days across four periods.
Judge Cregan emphasized that Burke’s incarceration stems solely from defying the injunction—not his views on transgenderism—and ended prior holiday releases as “preferential treatment.” Burke maintains he is imprisoned for his faith and has vowed not to comply.
As of late December, Burke remains detained, with a review scheduled for March 2026. The case continues to polarise opinions on religious freedom versus court authority.
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