Northern Ireland

Who were the winners and losers in the local elections?

Eamonn McCann celebrates with partner Goretti Horgan after being elected for People Before Profit to Derry and Strabane council. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Eamonn McCann celebrates with partner Goretti Horgan after being elected for People Before Profit to Derry and Strabane council. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Eamonn McCann celebrates with partner Goretti Horgan after being elected for People Before Profit to Derry and Strabane council. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

THE tale of any election is by its nature one of winners and losers.

And this time round there are several notable faces either joining or leaving council chambers after the public had their say on who will represent them for the next four years.

Among the big winners was Sinn Féin’s Barry McElduff who has returned to frontline politics a year after resigning his Westminster seat following anger over a social media post on the anniversary of the 1975 Kingsmill killings.

He is joined on the new council by MLA Michaela Boyle, meaning there may be an assembly seat to fill within the party in the coming weeks - perhaps even by Mr McElduff?

Council elections 2019: full results

Joining them at Fermanagh and Omagh council will be independent Emmett McAleer.

He entered the race on an anti-goldmine ticket and was comfortably elected in the Mid Tyrone area.

His sizeable mandate will give a voice to those opposed to the controversial plan to develop a mine at Greencastle.

When it comes to challenging the establishment Derry socialist Eamon McCann, who was elected on a People Before Profit ticket, is no stranger.

The civil rights veteran's return to the elected politics comes just over two years after he lost his assembly seat.

Another comeback king is the former MP for South Antrim Danny Kinahan, who claimed a seat at Antrim and Newtownabbey council.

A former British soldier, he will represent the Ballyclare DEA, an area which also produced one of the surprise stories of the election.

Michael Stewart, who runs the Love Ballyclare Facebook page, only stood for election after an online suggestion last month.

The unlikely candidate admits he has no interest in politics but despite this was elected on the first count.

Some of the hardest fallers this time around include several sitting councillors.

Sinn Féin’s tactical decision to move sitting councillor Patrice Hardy into the Ballymena area of Mid and East Antrim council failed to pay off.

A rising star in the party, few expect the school teacher to be sitting on the sidelines for long.

The SDLP also suffered significant upset after Newry, Mourne and Down Council chair Mark Murnin lost his seat in Slieve Croob.

From Ballynahinch, he is well known in business circles across the district.

In Belfast the loss of Jeff Dudgeon was a big blow to the UUP.

A long time gay rights campaigner, he was awarded an OBE for services to that community in 2012.

Controversial councillor Jolene Bunting also failed in her bid to be re-elected in the city.

Ms Bunting was returned in 2014 as a TUV candidate but left the party in 2017 and continued at city hall as an independent.

In the past she had been criticised over her links to far right group Britain First.

Another independent unionist, David Jones, also failed to make a return to Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon council.

Mr Jones, who was a prominent spokesman for the Orange order during the Drumcree parading dispute, was elected to the last council under the Ukip banner, although he later left the party.

Council elections 2019: full results