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The Burke family pays Facebook to advertise their video about their protest in Washington DC – The Irish Times

A member of the Burke family from Castlebar, Co Mayo, has spent more than 45,000 euros for Facebook ads in the past six years, according to META, the owner of the platform, publicly available data.

The money was spent on advertising for uploaded videos on the Facebook page of Josiah Burke, whose recent upload is a video of his mother Martina and his brother Isaac and spoke to the camera before the Ireland Funds gala dinner in Washington, DC.

The video was protested shortly after Martina, Isaac and Ammi Burke had tried to achieve a protest at the event on Thursday evening.

Members of the Burke family traveled to Washington when The Taoisach, Micheál Martin, the US President Donald Trump should meet and take part in the gala dinner and other events.


The data from the META advertisement library show that the video from Washington was carried out as a complaint at around 9 a.m. on Friday and Josiah Burke cost € 100. It had reached up to 20,000 impressions by Friday afternoon.

The advertising library service managed by META provides data on paid items that are treated as ads and receive greater importance than would otherwise be the case.

Advertisements about social, characteristic and political issues must have a disclaimer that says who paid for them.

The von Enoch Burke family was removed from an event in which Taoisach Micheál Martin in Washington, DC, took part. Video: Seán Defoe/Newstalk

The next paid post on Josiah Burke's Facebook page ran between March 7th and 12th and wrongly explained that Josiah's brother Enoch should “be deprived of his salary after refusing to confirm transgenderism”.

In fact, the High Court should appoint a recipient with the authority to collect Enoch Burkes' salary, so that outstanding fines of approximately 80,000 euros can be observed, which result from his civil contempt for the court because he has refused to follow a court order that he stays away from Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath.

Although Mr. Burke was released by school, his salary will continue to be paid for administrative leave because an appeal against his termination is still pending. He has recently been immersed in school, although the Court of Justice was not accepted that it was returned to prison for continuing his contempt.

The advertising cost Josiah Burke between € 600 and € 700 and, according to Meta, had between 200,000 and 250,000 impressions.

The dates of the advertising library show that the sums of different amounts, normally approximately € 600 to 700, are paid three to four times a month in order to be uploaded to videos and statements on Josiah Burke's website.

The majority of the advertisements focus on the controversy of Henoch Burke, but also includes other topics accepted by the family, including the hate crime legislation, the difficulty of Simeon Burkes, to maintain a master under the tutoring system of the law firm, problems with the healthcare and pandemic and attacks on certain politicians, including the Taoisach, Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr., and The Tánaiste.

Lawyer Simeon Burke cannot get a master. Is this his own fault or due to an arcane system?Opens in new window ]

A current ad, which cost between 400 and 500 euros, had between 175,000 and 200,000 impressions and, according to Meta, for a week on Facebook.

Post shows Martina and Isaac Burke in Galway, where the family member was “shaken” at an event in which the Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC took part.