A former Wexford hurler has questioned whether online 'ridicule' directed at Enoch Burke is an example of extreme liberalism in society.

Diarmuid Lyng was speaking as the former teacher turned up at Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath on Monday as the new term got underway.

Earlier this year the High Court ruled that Mr Burke's suspension from Wilson’s Hospital School was lawful.

Mr Justice Alex Owens heard evidence of Mr Burke’s behaviour after his principal sent out an email in relation to a student's wish to transition.

He heard allegations of Mr Burke "exploding" at a staff meeting and disrupting a celebratory mass at the school with students present.

Diarmuid Lyng told The Hard Shoulder he believes principles are important.

"By showing any degree of pity or even, I suppose, on the other side, admiration, for the stance that Enoch Burke has taken, you're immediately associated with what are maybe less desirables online," he said.

"There has to be a question asked of teachers – do we want principled teachers; do we want principled people teaching our children?

"Isn't that as important, if not more important, than the ability to teach maths, Irish or English?

"I know from teaching myself, young people, they breathe in what they see and they witness much more than what you teach them.

"The question with Enoch Burke... is it not the original paradox of the question which is, there's this freedom of expression.

"There's a demand, socially, for freedom of expression and Enoch Burke is entitled to his.

"Should he be ridiculed for his freedom of expression?"

Enoch Burke leaving Wilson's Hospital School on August 28th 2023. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Mr Lyng said he believes Mr Burke is a representation of the 'micro and macro in all of us.'

"If you look at it through conservatism and liberalism... I think we all remember up until the '80s being stifled by conservatism, to a degree, in the country," he said.

"Since the mid-90s, we're liberalising all the time, but surely we're not going to pretend there isn't a question on the extremes of liberalism?"

Mr Lyng said he thinks questions need to be asked about how society is dealing with such issues.

"There's an awful lot of this kind of a conversation that divides people: why are we focusing on things that divide, and why are we not focusing on what is positive and what is shared?

"Whether you're trans, whether you're male, female - whatever you identify as - you have a masculine, feminine principle inside you.

"There's no knowledge, no attempt to bring us together on that.

"You have to ask the question... why are we divided on it, why do we continue to be divided on it?"

Mr Lyng said teachers have a “very unique and a very important role” when it comes to helping children make sense of the world.

They are the last stand as to what comes into our classrooms and is that information coming in that's working on behalf of something that's not the emergence of our young people?" he asked.

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Main image: Enoch Burke leaving Wilson's Hospital School on August 28th 2023. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie