Enoch Burke confronts Church of Ireland Primate over school dispute

Enoch Burke, a former teacher at Wilson’s Hospital School, confronted Archbishop John McDowell, the Primate of All Ireland, outside St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh. Burke accused the Archbishop of failing to defend Church of Ireland doctrine regarding gender and of remaining silent during his imprisonment. Burke, who spent over 700 days in jail for breaching court orders, argued that his actions were taken to uphold the school's religious ethos.

During the exchange, Burke labeled the Archbishop a "traitor" for not intervening in his employment dispute, which began in 2022 when Burke refused to use a transgender student's preferred name and pronouns. Archbishop McDowell, who serves as a patron of the school, declined to engage in the debate and stated he would contact the police. Following the encounter, authorities confirmed they are investigating a report of an assault on a member of the clergy at the cathedral.