Members of Enoch Burke’s family forcibly removed from gala dinner in Washington DC after disrupting speech

The family did not have tickets to the event which was attended by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

2.17am, 14 Mar 2025

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FAMILY MEMBERS OF Enoch Burke have been forcibly removed from a St Patrick’s Day event in Washington DC after disrupting speeches at an evening gala. 

Enoch Burke’s mother Martina and two of his siblings entered the private Ireland Funds Gala and began shouting during a speech by the head coach of the Washington Commanders NFL team Dan Quinn before being forcibly removed by police. 

During the struggle to remove them, Martina, Isaac and a security guard were all knocked to the floor as they tripped over a curtain dividing the room.

It is unclear how the three gained access, but according to a police officer, the family did not have tickets to the event.

The family arrived shortly after Taoiseach Micheál Martin gave his speech at the event, which is an annual fixture of the St Patrick’s Day festivities in the US capital.

This year’s event was hosted by former RTÉ journalist Catríona Perry, who is now with the BBC.

A police officer said the family did not have tickets for the event. Alamy Stock Photo

After the three Burkes were ejected from the building, they shouted at the TV cameras and media that followed them outside.

Martina Burke shouted at the cameras that her son was “imprisoned under the watch of Micheál Martin”.

The family accused Martin of “fooling the American people”. 

Martina said: “My son has been imprisoned for over 500 days for not approving transgenderism…How dare Micheál Martin sit in there. He is fooling the American people.”

She added: “We need President Trump to know the truth.”

The three were then told by police to stop blocking the entryway to the building and moved slightly up the street, continuing to speak to media for approximately ten minutes.

When a reporter asked how they gained access to the event, Martina Burke responded: “We’re not talking to the Irish media because you work with the government, you work with the judiciary. The government and the judiciary are all working together, silencing the people. We are slaves in Ireland. You are a fake journalist.”

When a reporter asked if Elon Musk had reached out to the family, Martina Burke responded: “Would you go get a job in Asda.”

Earlier this month, Elon Musk retweeted a post on X that contained misleading information about Enoch’s legal issues. 

The post incorrectly stated that Burke was “stripped of his salary after refusing to use they/them pronouns for a ‘transgender’ student”.

Musk shared the post with a comment of his own: “Wow.”

Isaac, Martina and Ammi Burke Jane Matthews

Since August 2022, teacher Enoch Burke has spent over 500 days in prison for repeatedly violating orders to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School in Westmeath from which he is on suspension.

The High Court recently ruled that over €79,000 in fines he owes for contempt of court can be deducted from his Department of Education salary.

Earlier this week, his father, mother and two of his siblings, Ammi and Isaac, arrived in Washington DC ahead of the Taoiseach’s annual visit for St Patrick’s Day.

Yesterday they protested outside the White House while the Taoiseach was there to give US President Donald Trump the traditional bowl of shamrock.

The family would not answer questions from Irish media at the time.