Northern Ireland

SDLP make gains in Derry City and Strabane District Council

Mary Durkan of SDLP topped the poll for Foyleside in the Derry and Strabane District Local Government Elections count in Derry on Friday. With her mum Gay Durkan and brother Mark H Durkan MLA. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Mary Durkan of SDLP topped the poll for Foyleside in the Derry and Strabane District Local Government Elections count in Derry on Friday. With her mum Gay Durkan and brother Mark H Durkan MLA. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Mary Durkan of SDLP topped the poll for Foyleside in the Derry and Strabane District Local Government Elections count in Derry on Friday. With her mum Gay Durkan and brother Mark H Durkan MLA. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

SDLP successes in the Derry City and Strabane District Council election marks a resurgence in the party’s fortunes across Northern Ireland, according to leader, Colum Eastwood.

The party scored a net gain of one seat in the four district electoral areas (DEA) counted today. While they lost one sitting councillor, they took two seats from Sinn Féin who also looked set to lose a third seat.

Mr Eastwood was speaking after the SDLP topped the poll in two DEAs. Barrister, Mary Durkan – a sister of MLA Mark H and niece of former leader, Mark senior – was elected on the first count in Foyleside while veteran, Angela Dobbins also held her seat in Ballyarnett.

Ms Durkan acknowledged that she was following in the family tradition but left no doubt that she would be her own woman.

She said: “It’s nice; it’s good to be elected. It’s about recapturing ground for the party. There have been family members, two Marks but I’m confident I’ll make my own mark.”

Full election results

The SDLP won three seats in Ballyarnett while Cara Hunter took former Sinn Féin mayor Maolíosa McHugh’s seat in Derg although veteran Gus Hastings lost his seat in Faughan. Sinn Féin also experienced early disappointment today when Conor Heaney, a former advisor to the late Martin McGuinness was eliminated on the first count.

New-comers Aontú will look on Derry as a breakthrough. Following a sound first count performance, Aontú candidate Dr Anne McCloskey secured a seat. Thursday’s poll also marked success for People before Profit with Shaun Harkin elected for the Foyleside DEA.

Delighted SDLP leader Mr Eastwood said the vote in Derry showed his party’s electoral strategy was working.

“We set out a number of months ago to use this as a staging post for the Westminster election and we’re determined to take that seat back and we’ve got the results we wanted,” he said.

He believed Thursday’s vote was a sign of a resurgence across the north.

“We’re finding across the north in places where we run new, young, talented candidates and put a good campaign behind them then we can win seats,” he said.

Mr Eastwood said the party had learned how to win seats.

“Look at Paul McCusker’s vote (Oldpark, Belfast); they’re weighing Paul McCusker’s vote instead of counting them,” he said.

Interest will switch later today, Saturday to the performance of sitting councillor, Gary Donnelly and People before Profit’s Eamon McCann.

Full election resultsOpens in new window ]

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Derry City and Stabane District Council

40 seats

Change since 2014:

SDLP 11 (+1), SF 11 (-5), DUP 7 (-1), UUP 2 (-), All 2 (+2), PBP 2 (+2), Aontú 1 (+1), Ind 4 (-)

Turnout: 57 per cent

Ballyarnett (6 seats, Quota 1,368)

Angela Dobbins (SDLP) 1,392

Brian Tierney (SDLP) 1,235

Rory Farrell (SDLP) 1,170

Anne McCloskey (Aontú) 1,032

Sandra Duffy (SF) 899

Aileen Mellon (SF) 848

Nuala Crilly (PBP) 826

Caoimhe McKnight (SF) 656

Warren Robinson (Ind) 639

Neil McLaughlin (SF) 538

Danny McCloskey (All) 340

Elected

Angela Dobbins (SDLP) 1st count


Brian Tierney (SDLP) 4th count


Sandra Duffy (SF) 6th count


Rory Farrell (SDLP) 6th count


Anne McCloskey (Aontú) 6th count


Aileen Mellon (SF) 6th count

Derg (5 seats, Quota 1,335)

Derek Hussey (UUP) 1,267

Keith Kerrigan (DUP) 1,090

Ruairi McHugh (SF) 1,086

Kieran McGuire (SF) 1,075

Cara Hunter (SDLP) 1,032

Maolíosa McHugh (SF) 798

Thomas Kerrigan (DUP) 771

Andy Patton (Ind) 735

Anne Murray (All) 150

Elected 

Derek Hussey (UUP) 3rd count


Keith Kerrigan (DUP) 3rd count


Cara Hunter (SDLP) 5th count


Kieran McGuire (SF) 5th count


Ruairi McHugh (SF) 5th count

Faughan (5 seats, Quota 1,191)

Graham Warke (DUP) 1,050

Ryan McCready (DUP) 940

Paul Fleming (SF) 854

Rachel Ferguson (All) 783

Paul T Hughes (Ind) 733

William Jamieson (UUP) 710

Brenda Stevenson (SDLP) 693

Jim McKeever (SDLP) 565

Gus Hastings (SDLP) 491

Conor Heaney (SF) 324

Elected

Ryan McCready (DUP) 4th count


Graham Warke (DUP) 4th count


Rachel Ferguson (All) 7th count


Paul Fleming (SF) 7th count


Jim McKeever (SDLP) 7th count

Foyleside (5 seats, Quota 1,227)

Mary Durkan (SDLP) 1,231

Shauna Cusack (SDLP) 1,129

Shaun Harkin (PBP) 977

Michael Cooper (SF) 888

Sean Carr (Ind) 822

Lilian Seenoi-Barr (SDLP) 721

Hayleigh Fleming (SF) 632

Eric McGinley (SF) 653

John Doherty (All) 305

Elected

Mary Durkan (SDLP) 1st count


Shauna Cusack (SDLP) 3rd count


Shaun Harkin (PBB) 4th count


Sean Carr (Ind) 6th count


Michael Cooper (SF) 6th count

The Moor (5 seats, Quota: 1,292)

Gary Donnelly (Ind) - 1,374

John Boyle (SDLP)  - 1,082

Eamon McCann (PBP) - 1,035

Patricia Logue (SF) - 778

Tina Burke (SF)  - 738

Kevin Campbell (SF) - 712

Cathy Breslin (SDLP) - 669

Sharon Duddy (SF)  - 594

Emmet Doyle (Ind) - 496

Colm Cavanagh (All) - 122

Elected (5 seats)

Gary Donnelly (Ind)


Eamon McCann (PBP) 5th count 


Tina Burke (SF)


John Boyle (SDLP)


Patricia Logue (SF)

Sperrin (7 seats, Quota: 1,364)

Allan Bresland (DUP) - 1,156

Michaela Boyle (SF) - 1,153

Paul Gallagher (Ind) - 1,106

Raymond Barr (Ind) - 920

Maurice Devenney (DUP) - 899

Jason Barr (SDLP) - 832

Steven Edwards (SDLP) 794

Dan Kelly (DF) - 756

Cathal O hOisín (SF) - 740

Brian McMahon (SF)  -  731

Patsy Kelly (Ind) - 595

Andy McKane (UUP) - 530

Scott Moore (All) 437

Pauline McHenry - 128

Corey French (Ind) - 104

Elected 

Allan Bresland (DUP) 4th count


Michaela Boyle (SF)


Paul Gallagher (Ind)


Raymond Barr (Ind)


Maurice Devenney (DUP)


Jason Barr (SDLP)


Dan Kelly (SF)

Waterside (7 seats, Quota: 1,245)

Darren Guy (UUP) - 1,589

Sinéád McLaughlin (SF) - 1,483

Hillary McClintock (DUP) - 1,250

Martin Reilly (SDLP) - 939

David Ramsey (DUP) - 839

Christopher Jackson (SF) - 825

Sharon McLaughlin (SF) - 784

Drew Thompson (DUP) - 780

Maeve O'Neill (PBP) - 752

Philip McKinney (Alliance)  -  715

Elected 

Darren Guy (UUP)  1st count


Hilary McClintock (DUP)  1st count


Sinead McLaughlin (SDLP)  1st count 


Martin Reilly (SDLP) 5th count


David Ramsey (DUP)


Christopher Jackson (SF)


Philip McKinney (All)