Elections

2001 Westminster and Local Elections in the North | 2002 General Election in Ireland

Results for the 2001 Westminster and
Local Elections in the north of Ireland

Sinn Féin Largest Nationalist Party in the North!
Pat Doherty Wins Seat in West Tyrone! Adams and McGuinness Re-Elected! Michelle Gildernew Wins!
Total UUP 26.8%, DUP 22.5%, SF 21.7%, SDLP 21.0%

SF INCREASE

LOCAL ELECTIONS RESULTS

1. THE DAY THE MAP CHANGED

* Sinn Fein elect 4 MPs, 108 local councillors

THE DAY THE MAP CHANGED

The political map in Ireland has been transformed as a result of polls held in both parts of Ireland on Thursday. A dramatic surge in support for Sinn Fein has pushed the party into poll position as the largest nationalist party in the North and within reach of becoming the largest party at the next election. In the Westminster elections, statistics showed that Sinn Fein had some 50.9 per cent share of the nationalist vote, compared with the SDLP's 49.1 per cent. The party gained two seats from the Ulster Unionist Party while Ian Paisley's DUP also gained two.
In the local elections, the party ended with a total of 108 seats, (an increase of 34), and is set to take the mayoralty of Belfast city council following the victory of Joe O'Donnell as the first SF councillor in east Belfast. Friday was a day of high drama as results emerged which showed Sinn Fein's Pat Doherty taking the West Tyrone seat from the Ulster Unionists and defeating a challenge from the SDLP's agricultural minister Brid Rodgers. In a recount in Fermanagh/South Tyrone, Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew emerged victorious taking the seat from the Ulster Unionists, by a majority of just 53 votes. The UUP said it would make a legal appeal over alleged electoral malpractice.
In other areas, the DUP's Nigel Dodds won North Belfast after a collapse in support for the aging Cecil Walker of the UUP; Iris Robinson took Strangford from the UUP's David McNarry; and Gregory Campbell defeating sitting UUP MP William Ross in East Derry. The UUP's Lady Sylvia Hermon made a gain for the Ulster Unionists in North Down defeating UKUP leader Robert McCartney; and David Burnside winning back South Antrim from the DUP's Rev William McCrea.

WEST GOES GREEN

Sinn Fein's Pat Doherty greeted his victory in West Tyrone with the message 'West of the Bann is now green'. The result marked a significant increase in Sinn Fein's vote in the constituency with Mr Doherty increasing his share from 14,230 in 1997 to 19,814. The SDLP, who came third, saw their vote decrease despite 'parachuting' the relatively high-profile Brid Rodgers into the constituency. Mr Doherty said he was absolutely delighted on a personal level and felt the history of the occasion.
In his victory speech Mr Doherty said West Tyrone was another step on Sinn Fein's journey to become the largest party in the north and "one of the most substantial parties in all of Ireland". He urged unionists to join him in a new era. "Genuinely I will try to represent those people as best I can," he said. "They have capable leaders with whom we can have dialogue with and with whom we can work this out, that's a plea and a pledge from me over the term of this Westminster Parliament."
From lunch time it was becoming increasingly clear that Mr Doherty was set for victory. Approaching the first declaration in Omagh, the crowds of Sinn Fein supporters from throughout the west continued to grow amid a sea of green, white and orange. When Education Minister Martin McGuinness's increased majority in Mid-Ulster was announced shortly after 6pm it was greeted with ecstatic celebrations. "A resounding victory" he called it, and it was - his majority was five times up on 1997 and he took more than half the vote. To cheers and loud clapping, Mr McGuinness thanked his supporters for his resounding majority. He used his election speech to condemn dissident republicans and said the result was an endorsement of "Sinn Fein's peace strategy and of the peace project".
Sinn Fein's analysis had struck a chord with people all over the island of Ireland and it was time to end the divisions. In criticism of dissident republicans believed responsible for a gun attack on a polling station in Draperstown on Thursday night, Mr McGuinness said Sinn Fein's agenda bore "no relation whatsoever to the very, very tiny micro-group who thought they should attack the peace process". He said they needed to realise they had completely misread the mood of the nationalist/ republican people. The peace process must continue with "negotiations, not renegotiations" and after the election it would be clear that there was overwhelming support for the peace process. The cheers rose even higher when Mr McGuinness announced: "I look forward to the end of this day to see my friends Michelle Gildernew and Pat Doherty as MPs."
His anticipation was justified, and the narrow election after a recount of Michelle Gildernew was the 'jewel in the crown', as Gerry Adams put it. Winning back the border constituency of Fermanagh/South Tyrone originally won by hunger striker Bobby Sands was a stunning climax to the day and brought delirious scenes at a count centre domainated by Sinn Fein supporters, scenes which nationalists believed may be repeated in five years time.

ENDORSEMENT

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams declared his huge win in West Belfast an endorsement of the party's work and a vote for the reunification of the island. The SDLP was astonished when the party's vote was all but decimated by Sinn Fein, plunging by 10,000 on its showing in the 1997 general election. Their vote was dwarfed of some seven thousand votes compared with Gerry Adams' vote of more than 27,000.
In another part of the Belfast count centre, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly declared the DUP's Nigel Dodds an MP on borrowed time in North Belfast. A serious challenge from the UUP and a consolidation of Kelly's vote could see the seat switch to nationalist hands in four or five years time. "Nigel Dodds has borrowed the seat for a few years but he will not be in it next time round," said Kelly.

SDLP DISQUIET

The SDLP appeared panic-stricken at the downturn in their vote and are now in third place. Polling 2,000 less than the republicans, the party blamed the core of its vote for failing to turn up. SDLP Deputy Leader Seamus Mallon saw his 10,000 vote lead over Sinn Fein devastated by assembly member Conor Murphy. At the end of the count Mr Mallon's lead was just over 3,000. Conor Murphy said he was proud to have played a pivotal role in helping his party's vote increase across the country. The assembly member said the rise in the Sinn Fein vote would serve as a springboard for his party to secure the seat in four years time.
In South Down, Mick Murphy also put in a very strong showing, more than doubling his vote from 1997, to come second. SDLP leader Mr John Hume said on Friday night that Sinn Fein had "absolutely and totally and completely" no chance of overtaking his party, apparently unaware of results showing that Sinn Fein had already done so. Mr Hume maintained a sizable majority over Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin in his Foyle constituency, but there has been disquiet this weekend among SDLP members over the direction of the party. The SDLP leader, who was first elected 32 years ago, declined to comment on speculation over his future.

FINAL RESULTS OF LOCAL ELECTIONS:

UUP 154 seats (down 31) -- 23% of first preferences SF 108 seats (up 34) -- 21% of first preferences DUP 131 seats (up 40) -- 21% of first preferences SDLP 117 seats (down 3) -- 19% of first preferences Alliance 28 seats (down 13) -- 6% of first preferences

INCREASE IN SF SUPPORT BY CONSTITUENCY

Fermanagh/South Tyrone +11% Upper Bann +9% Foyle +2.7% Mid Ulster +11% East Derry +6.5% South Belfast +2.5% West Belfast +10.2% North Belfast +5% East Belfast +1.3% West Tyrone +10% South Antrim +3.9% Strangford +1% Newry/Armagh +9.8% North Antrim +3.5% North Down +1% South Down +9.3% Lagan Valley +3.4% East Antrim +0.9%

2002 General Election Results

26 County General Election Constituencies	Dublin's 12 Constituencies

Overall, the party almost trebled its vote to an average of over 8% in the areas it contested and to 7% in total throughout the State. The following is a breakdown by constituency:


Constituency %vote %increase

Carlow/Kilkenny 3.41 +3.41
Cavan/Monaghan 17.51 -1.85
Cork East 5.73 +2.17
Cork North-Central 6.33 +2.57
Cork South-Central 3.74 +3.74
Cork South-West 5.85 +5.85
Donegal North-East 9.90 +2.36
Donegal South-West 10.74 +10.74
Dublin Central 14.60 +7.95
Dublin Mid-West 6.51 +6.51
Dublin North 3.07 +3.07
Dublin North-Central 5.74 +5.74
Dublin North-East 10.24 +4.31
Dublin North-West 18.27 +18.27
Dublin South 3.93 +3.93
Dublin South-Central 12.70 +7.93
Dublin South-East 7.39 +7.39
Dublin South-West 20.28 +11.38
Dublin West 8.01 +3.01
Dun Laoghaire 4.02 +4.02
Galway East 3.69 +3.69
Galway West 5.61 +3.10
Kerry North 24.24 +8.33
Laois/Offaly 4.11 +4.11
Longford/Roscommon 3.36 +3.36
Louth 14.96 +6.84
Mayo 3.28 +3.28
Meath 9.42 +5.89
Sligo/Leitrim 10.21 +3.11
Tipperary South 3.30 +3.30
Waterford 6.34 +6.34
Westmeath 3.44 +3.44
Wexford 8.21 +8.21
Wicklow 2.79 +2.79