Donegal is a huge county, it needs more clubs playing hurling - Luke White

For anyone who has watched Donegal hurling keeper Luke White in action over the past few years, the news that he has been selected on the prestigious Ring, Rackard and Meagher ‘Champions 15’ will come as no surprise.

For the sweet-striking 29-year-old Wexford native is one of the best custodians in the country and has been a big part in Donegal’s’ success story in recent years.

Last Friday night, in Croke Park, the Carndonagh teacher was honoured, alongside the iconic Danny Cullen, who was selected at left-half back.

It was a combination of romance and employment that brought the History and Religion teacher to Carndonagh Community College having initially taught at Fir House Community College, Tallaght, after graduating from the Mater Dei Institute on Clonliffe Road, Dublin.

For his partner is Geraldine Kavanagh, a native of Moville. But White is no stranger to big occasions as he was part of the Wexford U-21 hurling squad that contested two All-Ireland’s on the trot.

“I was surprised to be picked,” he says modestly on Friday night’s ‘Champions 15’ accolade.

“But it is a great honour and since I have moved up here, I have been involved since 2020 and it’s good to get recognition, especially seeing as there are so few Nickey Rackard players on the team.

“It was no surprise that Danny was picked and he has been around a long time and he performs for us every year in the championship.

“We just want to keep him going for as long as possible. Hopefully we can get a few more years out of him.”

Meanwhile, White’s career began with his native St Martin’s in south east Wexford with whom he has won two Wexford senior county championships in nets.

“I played senior hurling with them from I was 18 until I moved up to Donegal when I was 26. It is a fairly strong hurling team and George and John O’Connor, who were on the Wexford senior team that won the All-Ireland title in 1996 when I was two, are club stalwarts.

“So I played with John’s sons Jack and Rory and we were lucky enough to win two Wexford county championships in 2017 and 2019.”

Luke was in goals on both occasions but also tasted defeat in 2018 to Gorey and in 2016 to Oulart The Ballagh.

“Both Jack and Rory are on the Wexford senior team at present and Rory has been outstanding.”

Luke has played in goals since he was ten, when John O’Connor first put him between the posts.

“I just enjoyed it and kept going from there and I was lucky to play on Development squads and on decent teams in the club and when you are winning you enjoy it.”

White qualified as a secondary teacher in Dublin and hurled with the famous St Pat’s College Drumcondra, the alma mater of the great Kilkenny hurler and manager, Brian Cody.

He graduated in 2016 and taught in Firhouse Community College in Tallaght for four years before eventually moving to Donegal in 2019.

“It was a case of one of us was moving in either direction, but I had two very good reasons for moving to Donegal.”

Luke began teaching in Carn in September 2019 – a big school with 1,200 pupils and they come from all over Inishowen.

Hurling is thriving in Carn at present and they won the Donegal Intermediate Championship earlier this year and it is taking firm root also in the school under Luke and Declan McCarron from Buncrana.

But he pays a strong tribute to the great work at underage level being carried out by Padhraig and Cathal Doherty.

“I probably came at a good time and we have hurling teams at all grades in the college. Lucky enough we won the Ulster Casement Shield two years ago with a crop of players who are now playing up with the Carn senior team.

“We are trying to bring a few players from Sixth Year every year up to the senior team and there seems to be a good group coming through this past few years and we have some good minors.”

Luke doesn’t actually play in goals for Carn, but features outfield and is regularly one of the top scorers in the county.

“It gives you a new lease of life as from January to June you are in goals for the county and then it is outfield for the rest of the year.

“I enjoy it and it is a nice change and there is a good atmosphere in Carn hurling after winning the Intermediate Championship for the first time.”

Unluckily for Luke, he picked up an ankle injury in the opening half of that IHC decider which ruled him out and it is a measure of Carn’s growing strength that they managed to still lift the cup in his absence.

“I got injured fifteen minutes into the game and Padhraig Doherty was out too, so the lads played really well and it was a great occasion for the club.”

On the inter-county scene, Luke has enjoyed considerable success and none more so than in his first year in 2020 when Donegal won the Nickey Rackard Cup in Croke Park by defeating Mayo in a great comeback.

He may be only four years in the county but has seen some pretty significant changes already in that period.

“When I came first it was just Setanta and Burt and then St Eunan’s but in the past few years Buncrana and ourselves have been reducing the deficits and that is always encouraging.

“We are getting closer and Sean MacCumhaills are coming again and have been doing very well at underage.

“We still need more clubs playing the game because this is a huge county and you also have hurling in Dungloe, Donegal Town and Ballyshannon as well.

“And Dungloe hosted a Gaeltacht competition at the weekend which was a major step forward.

“We need more coaches in primary schools and some lads who move away from football might actually love the game of hurling so that is a very real possibility as well.”