Stephen White (Gaelic footballer)

{{Short description|Irish Gaelic footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2020}}

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

| code= Football

| sport = Gaelic football

| image =

| name = Stephen White

| irish = Stiofán de Faoite

| fullname =

| feet =

| inches =

| occupation = Insurance agent

| county = Louth

| province = Leinster

| club = Cooley Kickhams
Mountbellew
Dundalk Young Irelands

| clposition =

| clubs =

| clyears =

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty = 1

| clprovince=

| clallireland =

| colleges =

| colyears =

| sig =

| counties = Louth

| icposition = Left half-back

| icyears = 1947-1962

| icapps(points) =

| icprovince = 4

| icallireland = 1

| nfl = 0

| allstars =

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_date = 1 September 1928

| birth_place=Cooley, County Louth, Ireland

| death_date = 6 September 2009 (aged 81)

| death_place=Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland

}}

Stephen White (1 September 1928 – 6 September 2009) was an Irish Gaelic footballer who played as a left wing-back for the Louth senior team.{{cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Louth/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=117451|title=Louth great Stephen White passes away|publisher=Hogan Stand|date=7 September 2009|accessdate=16 April 2016|first=|last=}}{{cite news|url=http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/3418/Stephen-White-was-arguably-Louth39s.5627669.jp|title=Stephen White was arguably Louth's greatest player of all time|date=2009-09-08|accessdate=2009-09-09|newspaper=Dundalk Democrat}}{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0908/1224254067930.html|title=Death of Stephen White|date=2009-09-08|accessdate=2009-09-09|newspaper=The Irish Times}}

White made his debut on the inter-county scene in 1946 when he linked up with the Galway minor team while attending Mountbellew Agricultural College on a scholarship. That year he played in both the Connacht Minor and Connacht Junior football finals for the Tribesmen.{{cite news|title=Success at the highest level at 28|work=Drogheda Independent|date=30 May 1997}} In 1947 he made his senior inter-county debut for Louth. White went on to win an All-Ireland medal in 1957 and four Leinster medals with his county. He was voted Footballer of the Year in 1957 in recognition of his performances for Louth throughout the year.{{cite news|title=Men Who Wore Many Colours|work=Evening Echo|date=17 June 1985}} He was also an All-Ireland runner-up in 1950{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/louth/drogheda-news/bitter-taste-of-1950-defeat-was-inspiration-for-57-all-ireland-win/27137850.html|title=Bitter taste of 1950 defeat was inspiration for '57 All-Ireland win|work=Drogheda Independent|date=9 September 2009}} and captained Louth during the 1951 season.

At club level, White won a Ranafast Cup medal with Cooley Kickhams in 1944 and was a member of the Kickhams side that defeated Oliver Plunketts in the 1947 Louth Junior Championship final. He transferred his allegiance to Dundalk Young Irelands in 1949, going on to win the Louth Senior Championship in 1950{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/news/louth-legend-frank-was-a-county-and-club-star/27154226.html|title=Louth legend Frank was a county and club star|work=The Argus|date=23 February 2011}} and the Old Gaels Cup in 1957. He finished on the losing side in four County Senior League finals with the Green and Blacks.

At inter-provincial level White was a frequent member of the Leinster team and won four Railway Cup medals, captaining the victorious 1954 side in the final against Connacht.{{cite web|url=https://www.gaa.ie/api/images/image/upload/t_q-best/t8bphnbixyanijooj1un.pdf|title=The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games|work=GAA|date=2021}} He retired from inter-county football following the conclusion of the 1962 championship, playing his final match in a Leinster Championship quarter-final loss to Dublin. He served as selector and county team manager for a number of years during the late Sixties and early Seventies.

In 1984, as part of the Gaelic Athletic Association's centenary year celebrations, a Football Team of the Century was chosen by a panel of experts. Stephen White was selected at the left half-back position.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/louth/drogheda-news/stephen-white-was-the-most-decorated-player-ever-to-wear-the-red-and-white/27137849.html|title=Stephen White was the most decorated player ever to wear the red and white|work=The Argus|date=9 September 2009}}