white was educated at queen's university belfast, hull university and ripon college cuddesdon. he was ordained in 1986 and began his ecclesiastical career as a curate in redcar. he was the incumbent at gweedore from 1998 until 1992; dean of raphoe from 1992 until 2002; and dean of killaloe and clonfert from 2002 until 2012. between 2011 and 2012 he was chancellor of saint patrick’s cathedral, dublin, the national cathedral of the church of ireland.