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1973 Londonderry City Council election
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Local govt election in Northern Ireland
November 2019
Northern Ireland local elections, 1973
1973 Londonderry City Council election Londonderry COA.svg parliamentary no yes 1967 Londonderry Borough Council election 1967 1977 Londonderry City Council election 1977 All 27 seats to Londonderry City Council 30 May 1973 Raymond McClean Social Democratic and Labour Party Londonderry D N/A 10 10 Jack Allen Londonderry E United Loyalist 48A5EE 12 9 3 Ivor Canavan Londonderry E Alliance Party of Northern Ireland N/A 4 4 Fergus McAteer Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland) Londonderry E 8 3 5 Michael Montgomery Londonderry C Republican Clubs N/A 1 1 Council control Council control after election Londonderry Development Commission No overall control 1973 Londonderry City Council election (most voted party by electoral area).svg 350px Map of the results by electoral area. Electoral areas are shaded according to the party that received the most votes. Circles represent the political affiliation of councillors elected for each electoral area.
The 1973 Londonderry City Council election took place on 30 May 1973 to elect members of Londonderry City Council in Northern Ireland. This was on the same day as other Northern Irish local elections. The campaign was significant in that, following changes to the election process and districts, Irish nationalist parties were able to take control of the council for the first time.
Background
The election was the first held since the Londonderry Corporation had been reorganised under the Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 following accusations of gerrymandering from the Corporation.Beginning of the Troubles - Northern Ireland 1969 Cherry-Lynne Hopley Academia.edu https://www.academia.edu/2908217 Academia.edu 2020-06-20 The vote was also the first to use the single transferable vote method of election for Londonderry council elections.Neil Collins Political Issues in Ireland Today 65 Manchester University Press 2004 0719065712 3rd
During the elections, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party joined forces as The United Loyalist Group for the Londonderry City Council elections.Niall Ó Dochartaigh From civil rights to armalites 261 Springer 2nd 2004 0230006043 The group also claimed the backing of the Loyalist Association of Workers, the Ulster Protestant Volunteers, and the Ulster Special Constabulary Association. It was jointly chaired by Gerard Glover, chair of the City of Londonderry and Foyle Unionist Association, and Gordon Hegarty, a parliamentary agent for the DUP. It was initially unclear whether the coalition had the backing of the UUP headquarters, but Jim Bailie, the party secretary, stated that "I am sure whatever they are doing is all right by me". The group had a four point programme: total defeat of the Irish Republican Army, control of the police to be given to the Northern Ireland Assembly, increased representation of Northern Ireland in the Westminster Parliament, and opposition to a Council of Ireland.Derry unionists unite to fight elections Irish Times 11 April 1973 The group took over the local headquarters of the UUP, on Kennedy Place.Musgrave Donal Varied reactions to Provisional-Official link Irish Times 29 May 1973
The nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) contested Londonderry City Council elections for the first time since being established in 1970 in protest against abstentionism policies from the Nationalist Party.Campbell Sarah New Nationalism? The S.D.L.P. and the creation of a socialist and labour party in Northern Ireland, 1969–75 Irish Historical Studies 38 151 2015-02-04 0021-1214 10.1017/S0021121400001577 University of Cambridge 422–438 162974539 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/irish-historical-studies/article/new-nationalism-the-sdlp-and-the-creation-of-a-socialist-and-labour-party-in-northern-ireland-196975/B166062B9CE06063971B586D351BE941 2020-06-20 subscription It stood 19 candidates, the most of any party in the election.
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland stood 15 candidates, while the Derry Republican Club, backed by the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) stood 12, as did the United Loyalists. The Nationalist Party stood 10, including Fergus McAteer, son of the party leader, while there was a single Northern Ireland Labour Party candidate. Independent candidates included Brendan Duddy, a local fish-and-chip shop owner, and Finbar O'Doherty, a law student.
Campaign
During the campaign, the British Army reduced its foot patrols in the city, arguing that this would help create an atmosphere in which people would feel confident to go and vote. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) did not conduct any bombings in the week leading up to the vote, an unusually long lull for the period.SDLP target again in election feud Irish Times 30 May 1973 The group also went door-to-door, calling for a boycott of the election.
The day before the election, the PIRA and OIRA announced a surprising joint initiative of protest marches, strikes and the creation of "no-go areas" for police, in protest at internment, but coming at such a late point in the campaign, the Irish Times contended that it would have little effect on the vote.
The Republican Clubs published a half-page advert in the Derry Journal, claiming that both the SDLP and the Nationalist Party had broken pledges not to contest local elections until all internees had been released. John Hume, deputy leader of the SDLP, claimed that the party's pledge was specific to the period when the Parliament of Northern Ireland had existed. The Alliance Party accused Hume of having only visited Shantallow twice since he was elected to represent it in 1969, but Hume argued that he had visited it on numerous occasions, and had three volunteers running an advice centre in the district. Hume claimed that the Alliance Party's candidates were unionists and were "yesterday's men".
The Nationalist Party argued that the SDLP was standing too many candidates, risking splitting the nationalist vote and thereby allowing the unionists to win more seats. It campaigned for the council to work closely with tenants' and other community groups, and for the council to move away from party politics.Nationalists restrict aims in Derry Irish Times 11 May 1973
Hume claimed that the SDLP would do "very well", but would not be drawn on whether it would achieve a majority on the council, while Hegarty of the United Loyalists thought that it would win 10 seats. The Alliance Party focused its campaign on relieving unemployment and building new leisure, health, and community facilities, and believed it would win 7 or 8 seats. The Republican Club would not speculate on how many seats it would win, but Mickey Doherty claimed that it would take a "fairly substantial vote and surprise a lot of people".
Election results
The Irish Times reported the city as having particularly high turnout, initially estimated as between 65 and 70%.About 2m vote in north and south Irish Times 31 May 1973North-South vote of about 2 million Irish Times 31 May 1973 The count was the slowest in the whole of Northern Ireland.Unionists back to strength Irish Times 1 June 1973
Below is a list of the results:
PartySeats±First Pref. votesFPv%±% Social Democratic and Labour Party1011,008 32.4United Loyalist912,483 36.8 Alliance Party of Northern Ireland44,930 14.5 Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)32,8508.4 Republican Clubs12,091 6.2 Independent (politician)04251.3 Northern Ireland Labour Party0880.3 Independent Republican (Ireland)0710.2Totals2734,625100.0—
Local Government Elections 1973 - 1981: Londonderry ARK 2003-10-29 http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/73-81lgderry.htm ARK 2003 2020-06-20
Districts summary
Results of the Londonderry City Council election, 1973by district yes
|- class="unsortable" align="centre"
!rowspan=2 align="left"|Ward
! %
!Cllrs
! %
!Cllrs
! %
!Cllrs
! %
!Cllrs
! %
!Cllrs
!rowspan=2|TotalCllrs
|- class="unsortable" align="center"
!colspan=2 bgcolor="Social Democratic and Labour Party"| SDLP
!colspan=2 bgcolor="Alliance Party of Northern Ireland" | Alliance
!colspan=2 bgcolor="Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)" | Nationalist
!colspan=2 bgcolor="Republican Clubs" | RC
!colspan=2 bgcolor="white"| Others
|-
|align="left"|Area A
|32.2
|2
|12.2
|1
|1.7
|0
|2.6
|0
|bgcolor="darkorange"|51.3
|bgcolor="darkorange"|3
|6
|-
|align="left"|Area B
|18.3
|1
|17.0
|1
|4.3
|0
|2.2
|0
|bgcolor="darkorange"|58.2
|bgcolor="darkorange"|3
|5
|-
|align="left"|Area C
|bgcolor="#99FF66"|49.3
|bgcolor="#99FF66"|3
|13.4
|0
|21.4
|1
|15.9
|1
|0.0
|0
|6
|-
|align="left"|Area D
|bgcolor="#99FF66"|40.1
|bgcolor="#99FF66"|2
|13.4
|1
|11.3
|1
|8.6
|0
|26.6
|1
|5
|-
|align="left"|Area E
|31.1
|2
|15.8
|1
|9.2
|1
|6.1
|0
|bgcolor="darkorange"|37.8
|bgcolor="darkorange"|2
|6
|-
|- class="unsortable" class="sortbottom" style="background:#C9C9C9"
|align="left"| Total
|32.4
|10
|14.5
|4
|8.4
|3
|6.2
|1
|38.5
|9
|27
|-
|}
Districts results
Area A
1973: 3 x United Loyalist, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance
Londonderry Area A - 6 seatsLocal Government Results 1973 https://www.eoni.org.uk/getmedia/76aa0570-21f1-4b65-9c6e-764faf19cdb4/local_government_election_results_1973 EONI 8 July 2021
9
United Loyalist
Thomas Craig
1,294
15.66%
United Loyalist
Robert Bond
1,126
13.63%
1,160.56
1,163.72
1,163.72
1,172.96
1,189.96
Social Democratic and Labour Party
George Peoples
879
10.64%
879.08
884.08
912.08
965.08
1,018.08
1,192.08
United Loyalist
Robinson
960
11.62%
1,014.64
1,020.64
1,020.64
1,033.96
1,034.04
1,035.04
1,783.04
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Arthur Barr
421
5.10%
421.8
450.8
458.8
580.04
880.36
904.36
921.32
997.32
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Thomas Doherty
536
6.49%
536.08
547.08
569.08
655.16
679.16
968.16
970.16
970.16
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Courtrey
753
9.11%
753
754
776
809
866
915
915
916
United Loyalist
Gordon Hegarty
767
9.28%
777.64
778.64
779.72
782.8
786.88
788.96
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Millar
492
5.95%
492.08
494.08
505.08
552.08
564.08
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Gormley
415
5.02%
415.56
428.56
443.56
499.56
Republican Clubs
Gillespie
214
2.59%
214.08
214.08
251.08
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Morrison
175
2.12%
175.88
183.88
184.88
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
Mulhern
142
1.72%
142.08
146.08
Northern Ireland Labour Party
Grace Stevenson
88
1.07%
88.16
9
10,497
8,262 (78.71%)
94
1,181
8,356 (79.60%)
Area B
1973: 3 x United Loyalist, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance
Londonderry Area B - 5 seats
9
United Loyalist
Glenn Barr
1,659
22.11%
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Herbert Faulkner
853
11.37%
867.4
868.4
869.4
953.64
959.6
1,203.6
1,251.6
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Michael Fegan
940
12.53%
940.72
943.72
967.72
969.72
1,009.96
1,047.96
1,726.96
United Loyalist
Anna Hay
875
11.66%
1,030.04
1,030.04
1,030.04
1,033.04
1,035.28
1,087.52
1,088.52
????
United Loyalist
T. G. Heathley
874
11.65%
1,039.36
1,039.36
1,039.36
1,044.36
1,044.6
1,045.6
1,046.6
????
United Loyalist
Jeffrey
960
12.80%
1,017.12
1,017.12
1,017.12
1,018.6
1,019.6
1,019.6
1,021.6
????
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Morrison
433
5.77%
433
434
454
458
463
485
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
McCloskey
158
2.11%
158
160
211
213
348
360
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Kelly
257
3.43%
257.24
258.24
264.24
325.24
530.24
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
Boyle
166
2.21%
167.68
168.68
194.68
194.68
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Sinclair
164
2.19%
164.96
165.96
166.96
Republican Clubs
Moran
91
1.21%
91
151
Republican Clubs
Shotter
72
0.96%
72
9
10,377
7,502 (72.29%)
104
1,251
7,606 (73.30%)
Data missing from stage 9
Area C
1973: 3 x SDLP, 1 x Nationalist, 1 x Republican Clubs
Londonderry Area C - 5 seats
9
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
Gerard Barr
698
13.87%
703
705
717
729
1,020
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Patrick Devine
728
14.46%
728
731
731
804
821
859.4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Hugh Doherty
525
10.43%
528
533
540
603
619
637.4
650.15
865.15
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Leonard Green
483
9.60%
484
489
490
559
577
592.2
596.28
849.28
Republican Clubs
Michael Montgomery
401
7.97%
467
469
731
738
762
838.8
840.84
840.84
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Kelly
436
8.66%
436
644
649
656
665
673.8
674.82
703.82
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Nelis
374
7.43%
378
382
384
520
544
565.6
566.11
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
John McCrystal
378
7.51%
381
384
399
410
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Joseph Moran
370
7.35%
375
378
382
Republican Clubs
Liam Gallagher
272
5.40%
310
312
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Gerard O'Grady
239
4.75%
241
Republican Clubs
P. C. Quinn
129
2.56%
9
9,324
5,033 (53.98%)
206
839
5,239 (56.19%)
Area D
1973: 2 x SDLP, 1 x United Loyalist, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Nationalist
Londonderry Area D - 5 seats
12
United Loyalist
Marlene Jefferson
1,041
23.42%
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Raymond McClean
808
18.18%
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Feeney
643
14.47%
644
666.4
666.48
668.64
675.72
689.8
696.88
745.64
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Joe Cosgrove
408
9.18%
518
519.68
532.76
534.76
535.76
552
555
567.16
577.24
797.44
797.44
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
James Hegarty
341
7.67%
344
346
346
346
351
361.08
373.16
375.56
518.8
529.12
607.04
Republican Clubs
Mickey Doherty
229
5.15%
231
231
231
260
281
286.08
381.16
385.16
401.32
402.32
419.92
Social Democratic and Labour Party
William O'Connoll
214
4.81%
215
235.88
235.96
236.04
239.04
246.12
248.12
318.52
325.4
339.8
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Mulhern
155
3.49%
273
274.04
295.2
296.2
297.2
308.28
308.28
310.44
317.68
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
Charles McDaid
163
3.67%
165
166.52
166.52
171.68
178.68
187.76
195.84
196.92
Social Democratic and Labour Party
O'Hara
119
2.68%
119
131.64
131.64
131.72
133.72
140.96
142.04
Republican Clubs
Lynch
96
2.16%
97
97.32
97.32
116.32
128.32
133.4
Independent (politician)
O'Neill
67
1.51%
80
80.96
83.96
84.04
92.12
Independent Republican (Ireland)
Finbar O'Doherty
71
1.60%
71
71.16
71.16
71.16
Republican Clubs
McCool
59
1.33%
59
59.56
59.56
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
McKenna
31
0.70%
39
39.4
12
6,982
4,445 (63.66%)
122
741
4,567 (65.41%)
Area E
1973: 2 x United Loyalist, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Nationalist
Londonderry Area E - 6 seats
16
United Loyalist
Jack Allen
1,519
17.45%
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Ivor Canavan
718
8.25%
719.98
720.98
766.98
791.16
791.16
792.16
804.16
830.16
1,029.32
1,032.32
1,332.04
United Loyalist
Albert McCartney
893
10.26%
1,100.9
1,100.9
1,102.44
1,102.62
1,103.62
1,103.62
1,105.62
1,105.62
1,111.34
1,111.34
1,149.78
1,193.78
1,195.78
1,715.78
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Dan Casey
995
11.43%
995.36
996.36
998.36
1,012.36
1,012.36
1,013.36
1,205.36
1,055.36
1,064.72
1,141.72
1,149.9
1,158.9
1,189.9
1,192.7
1,192.7
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
Fergus McAteer
573
6.58%
573.36
588.36
589.36
599.36
611.36
618.36
741.36
802.36
808.54
835.54
839.54
847.04
1,089.04
1,091.9
1,091.9
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Michael Durey
703
8.08%
703
704
712
716
717
721
738
773
781
888
892
898
955
956.86
958.86
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Craig
729
8.38%
729.9
729.9
731.9
744.9
747.9
753.9
766.9
794.9
806.44
894.44
900.44
906.94
940.94
941.62
943.62
United Loyalist
Walker
515
5.92%
565.04
565.04
565.22
566.22
567.22
568.22
568.22
568.22
568.22
568.4
584.84
597.84
598.02
Republican Clubs
S. Gallagher
221
2.54%
221.18
222.18
222.18
223.18
320.18
478.36
488.36
523.36
523.36
545.36
546.36
547.36
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Edith Roulston
300
3.45%
303.96
303.96
328.14
329.14
329.14
329.14
329.14
342.14
393.5
397.5
Social Democratic and Labour Party
A. Gallagher
284
3.26%
284.18
284.18
284.18
286.18
287.18
290.18
296.18
331.18
336.18
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Brian Brown
246
2.83%
249.06
249.06
270.06
287.5
288.5
288.68
292.68
304.68
Independent (politician)
Brendan Duddy
242
2.78%
242
243
244
262
264
269
287
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
Doherty
208
2.39%
208
209
213
221
222
223
Republican Clubs
P. Gallagher
162
1.86%
162
163
163
164.18
188.36
Republican Clubs
Sweeney
145
1.67%
145.18
145.18
145.18
146.18
Independent (politician)
Bergin
116
1.33%
117.98
117.98
117.98
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Commander
112
1.29%
112.9
113.9
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
Geraldine O'Driscoll
23
0.26%
23
16
12,899
8,704 (67.48%)
153
1,244
8,857 (68.66%)
Aftermath
Even though the United Loyalists won the most votes, the SDLP won the most councillors with ten being elected to the United Loyalists' nine. The nonsectarian Alliance Party of Northern Ireland won four, the Nationalist Party won three and one was won by the Republican Clubs. The result gave parties supported by the city's Catholic community a majority on the council for the first time.Richard Russell Modernity, Community and Plurality in Brian Friel's drama 153 Syracuse University Press 2014 978-0815652342 The SDLP were disappointed not to win a majority on the council. John Hume blamed this on transfers going to other parties, noting the United Loyalist voters in the Bogside had transferred to the Alliance Party, while Republican Club voters in Londonderry E had transferred to the Nationalist Party.Unionists top the council poll Irish Times 2 June 1973
The new council elected Raymond McClean of the SDLP as Mayor of Londonderry, only the second Catholic mayor in the city's history, while Jack Allen of the United Loyalists was elected as deputy mayor.Catholic mayor for Derry Irish Times 13 June 1973
Following the election, there had been disputes within the United Loyalists. Some members of the UUP once said to the DUP's Anna Hay, who had been elected to Londonderry B and was the mother of the future Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly William Hay, that they had only "lent" her her seat due to the UUP being historically the stronger unionist party at the time. William recalls Council 'Hay' days Londonderry Sentinel 2010-11-25 https://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/william-recalls-council-hay-days-2811285 2020-06-20
References
Category:Derry City Council elections
Londonderry
Category:1970s in County Londonderry