An Irish teacher who has become a central figure in his country’s debate over religious freedom, gender identity policies, and the authority of the courts has been released from prison, though his legal battle is far from over.
Enoch Burke, an evangelical Christian and former teacher at Wilson’s Hospital School in County Westmeath, has spent approximately 700 days in prison over multiple periods after repeatedly being found in contempt of court. His imprisonment stems from his refusal to comply with court orders directing him to stay away from the school following his suspension.
According to Christian Today, Burke was suspended from his teaching position in 2022 after objecting to a school policy requiring staff to address a student using preferred pronouns. Burke argued that complying with the directive would violate his Christian beliefs regarding sex and gender.
What began as a workplace dispute eventually evolved into a prolonged legal conflict.
The High Court has ordered the release of teacher Enoch Burke from prison.
He has spent almost 700 days in prison since September 2022 for refusing to use gender bending ideology pronouns in the classroom.
A man of integrity. pic.twitter.com/FlAoxdYQzE
— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) July 1, 2026
After Burke was suspended, Irish courts ordered him not to enter school property. Burke repeatedly refused to comply with those orders, resulting in multiple contempt findings and lengthy periods of imprisonment. His incarceration has been based on those contempt rulings rather than on his views regarding the school’s pronoun policy.
The latest development came when Ireland’s High Court ordered Burke’s release.
According to Christian Today, the court concluded that circumstances had changed after Burke lost his appeal challenging his dismissal for gross misconduct. The judge reportedly determined that this altered the legal context for assessing whether Burke should continue to remain imprisoned for violating the court’s orders.
Although he has now been released, Burke is continuing his effort to overturn his dismissal.
The Irish Times reported on July 8 that Burke has launched a new legal challenge seeking to reverse the disciplinary appeals decision that upheld his termination from Wilson’s Hospital School.
BREAKING: Enoch Burke speaks after release from prison today
Teacher Enoch Burke was released from prison this morning.
Judge Brian Cregan said he was releasing Enoch Burke from prison because the Disciplinary Appeal Panel (DAP) process, set up to hear Enoch Burke’s appeal of… pic.twitter.com/Klv86On3WD
— Enoch Burke (@EnochBurke) July 1, 2026
According to the report, the lawsuit names the three-member disciplinary appeals panel that reviewed his case, the board of management of Wilson’s Hospital School, and Ireland’s Minister for Education.
Burke is asking the court to send his appeal back for consideration by a newly constituted disciplinary appeals panel. He is also seeking an order requiring the education minister to restore him to the Department of Education payroll, effectively reinstating his employment.
The Irish Times noted that Burke worked at the school from August 2018 until August 2022.
Throughout the dispute, Burke has maintained that the school’s policy required teachers to affirm beliefs about gender identity that conflict with his religious convictions. He has described the policy as a demand that staff members “accept transgenderism” and publicly urged the school’s principal to withdraw it before the dispute escalated into years of litigation.
Wilson’s Hospital School is affiliated with the Church of Ireland, a member of the Anglican Communion that operates independently of the Church of England.
