Former St Pat’s star fondly remembered

THERE was sadness amongst the football fraternity in Artane recently following the death of one of the area’s most well known footballers.

Tommy

‘Longo’ White, a member of the star-studded St Patrick’s Athletic team that graced the League of Ireland in the 1950s, passed away aged 82.

Tommy was a key figure in the Inchicore club’s rise to prominence in that era when they won a host of honours including three league titles and two FAI Cups.

While St Pat’s were founded in 1929, they didn’t gain League of Ireland membership until 1951, after dominating Leinster League football for the previous two decades.

Incredibly, they won the championship at the first attempt (1951-52), and won back-to-back titles in 1954/55 and 1955/56.

Tommy

‘Longo’ White was one of only a handful of players to pick up a winner’s medal in all three campaigns. He was also the first player to score a winning goal for St Pat’s in a League of Ireland match.

In an era when large crowds used to flock to League of Ireland grounds on Sunday afternoons, Tommy, an inside right as it was known back then, entertained fans around the country with his exciting ball skills and close control.

It wasn’t long before his talent attracted interest from a number of English clubs, most notably Everton, but he remained loyal to St Pat’s the club he joined from his schoolboy team Bulfin United.

While wearing the red and white of St Pat’s, Tommy was a star in a team of stars which included ace striker Shay Gibbons, Ronnie Whelan Snr, Willie Peyton, Paddy

‘Ginger’ O’Rourke and Harry Boland.

St Pat’s, who will be looking to defend their league title when the new season begins in March, said it was with great sadness that they learned of Tommy’s passing, and described him as one of the club’s greatest players.

Ironically, Tommy passed away on January 17, the third anniversary of the death of his brother-in-law and former teammate, Paddy

‘Ginger’ O’Rourke, from Coolock.

Together they wreaked havoc on opposing League of Ireland defences in that never-to-be-forgotten trophy-laden era for the Pride of Inchicore.

As well as his football exploits, Tommy

‘Longo’ White was a true gentleman off the field and will be sadly missed by his family, neighbours and friends in Artane.