Sinn Féin on crest of a wave but tide goes out for Alliance

And just like that, it’s all over, the canvassing, leafleting, postering and hustings.

The votes have been counted. The candidates, elected and defeated, their families, friends and supporters, have left the count centre and the Foyle Arena, our virtual home for 48 hours, can go back to normal.

On Monday, Derry City and Strabane District Council will begin a fresh mandate with 40 newly elected councillors.

The big talking point of the election in the Derry and Strabane area was undoubtedly  Sinn Féin’s unprecedented success. 
The party suffered not one defeat, getting all 18 of its candidates over the line. 

Sinn Féin gained 7 more seats last week than it did in the 2019 council election, which had been viewed as a disaster. 

IN PICTURES: From the Derry & Strabane Election Count in the Foyle Arena

Pictures: Tom Heaney (nwpresspics)

The Sinn Féin councillors are: Sandra Duffy, John McGowan, Patrick murphy, Caroline Devine, Ruairí McHugh, Antaine Ó Fearghail, Alex Duffy, Sean Fleming, Conor Heaney, Grace Uí Niallais, Paul Boggs, Brian Harte, Fergal Leonard, Aisling Hutton, Patricia Logue, Emma McGinley, Caitlin Deeney, and Chris Jackson.

The SDLP took 10 seats, 1 down on its 2019 performance. The SDLP councillors are: Rory Farrell, Catherine McDaid, Brian Tierney, Declan Norris, Lilian Seeoi Barr, Shauna Cusack, Jason Barr, John Boyle, Sean Mooney and Martin Reilly.

The DUP took 5 seats, 2 down on the previous council and the UUP took 3 seats, 1 up on 2019.

The DUP councillors are: Keith Kerrigan, Julie Middleton, Allan Bresland, Chelsea Cooke, and Niree McMorris.

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People Before Profit retained 1 seat, that of Shaun Harkin, and lost 1 seat. 

There were also 3 Independent councillors elected: Raymond Barr, Paul Gallagher and Gary Donnelly.

It was not a good election for the Alliance Party, which lost its 2 councillors. Emmet Doyle of Aontú also lost his seat in Ballyarnett, leaving the party without representation on Derry City and Strabane District Council.

In terms of the election, the electorate in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area was 114,502. The turnout was 56.58%.

The total number of votes polled was 64, 784.

There were 1,115 invalid votes and 63, 669 valid votes.

The parties’ share of the vote broke down as: Alliance (2,849 - 4%), Aontú (1,878 - 3%), DUP (7,955 - 12%), Independent (4,927 - 8%), People Before Profit (3,320 - 5%), SDLP (12, 689 - 20%), Sinn Féin (24,658 - 39%), and UUP (5,393 - 8%).