SEVERAL FAMILY MEMBERS of Enoch Burke’s family have turned up to protest outside the White House this evening ahead of the annual shamrock celebration ceremony.

At least four family members – including two of Enoch’s siblings and parents Martina and Seán were – stood outside security barriers to the White House compound, holding up placards saying: ‘America need to know the truth about Ireland’.

The Burkes were seen holding four unique protest signs – with one displaying a photo of Enoch Burke detailing how many days he has served in prison (513), and another claiming Micheál Martin “denies Christian liberties in Ireland”.

Enoch Burke was not at the scene with his family.

The group refused to engage with reporters at the scene, and would not say if they will be in attendance at the shamrock ceremony taking place this evening.

Trump will be presented with a bowl of shamrock by Taoiseach Micheál Martin shortly, in a presentation which will serve as the centrepiece of the Government’s major US diplomatic push this week.

Martin also met with the US President in the Oval Office this morning.

Speculation has run rampant online that members of the Burke family would attend the shamrock ceremony this evening.

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

Members of the Burke family had previously been spotted boarding a flight to the US capital yesterday, the same day Taoiseach Martin arrived in the city ahead of his meeting with US president Donald Trump.

Martin told reporters yesterday that the Burke family are “free to travel” to Washington DC.

Asked if he would have an issue if they did attend St Patrick’s Day events in the White House, the Taoiseach responded:

“I’m going to represent the Irish people on behalf of the Government of Ireland and the people of Ireland. I have a lot of functions on all week, and that’s what I’m focused on.”

At present, there is no confirmation that members of the Burke family are attending any events in the White House.  

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.”

With reporting by Jane Matthews in Washington DC