Irish High Court: Enoch Burke transferred from Mountjoy for his own safety

The Irish High Court was informed on March 12, 2026, that teacher Enoch Burke's transfer from Mountjoy Prison in Dublin to the Castlerea facility in County Roscommon was carried out for reasons of the inmate's safety. The decision for the transfer, which took place on March 1, 2026, was made by the Irish Prison Service (IPS). Irish Prison Service argued before the court that the change of location was necessary for Burke's protection, although detailed specifics regarding the nature of the threat were not disclosed. The teacher has been in penal isolation since January 2026 in connection with another sentence for contempt of court. Enoch Burke is a member of a family from Castlebar known for religious activism, which for years has been involved in numerous legal disputes and protests on ideological grounds. Burke's case gained prominence when he refused to comply with a court order to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School, from which he was dismissed following a dispute concerning the use of pronouns for a transgender student. Since then, he has been repeatedly detained in Mountjoy Prison for contempt of court orders, becoming one of the most polarizing figures in Irish public discourse.

Enoch Burke is challenging the legality of his transfer to County Roscommon, claiming before the court that the action by the prison service has no legal basis. During Thursday's hearing, the teacher argued that the sudden change of location violated his rights and was carried out in an arbitrary manner. The High Court heard explanations from IPS representatives, who emphasized that the priority in making the transfer decision was ensuring the prisoner's safety in the overcrowded Dublin facility. Mountjoy Prison is often cited in reports as a place with a high degree of inmate density. „I am claiming that my transfer from Mountjoy Prison to Castlerea on 1 March has no basis in law” — Enoch Burke via RTE.ie

The transfer to Castlerea Prison means a change in living conditions and distance from the capital for Burke, where his main trials are taking place. The facility in County Roscommon is a smaller center than the Dublin Mountjoy complex, which, according to prison services, facilitates monitoring the safety of individuals requiring special supervision. Burke, a fundamentalist evangelical Christian, has maintained from the beginning of his legal battle that he is being persecuted for his religious beliefs. The court has not yet issued a final ruling on the legality of the transfer itself, focusing on analyzing the premises presented by the IPS regarding the protection of the inmate.

[ {"dataISO": "2026-01-01", "data": "January 2026", "tytul": "Imprisonment", "opis": "Enoch Burke is placed in Mountjoy Prison for contempt of court."}, {"dataISO": "2026-03-01", "data": "March 1, 2026", "tytul": "Transfer to Castlerea", "opis": "The Prison Service transfers Burke to County Roscommon."}, {"dataISO": "2026-03-12", "data": "March 12, 2026", "tytul": "High Court hearing", "opis": "The court learns that the reason for the transfer was the prisoner's safety."} ]