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.”
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)