Historic breakthroughs for Sinn Féin as party enjoys massive surge of support

The party achieved a first preference vote share of over 40% in the big nationalist District Electoral Areas (DEAs) of Derry's cityside and Strabane: Ballyarnett (45.4% - up 14.7%; three councillors); Derg (45.4% - up 8.4%; three councillors); The Moor (44.6% - up 8.2%; three councillors); Foyleside (41.3% - up 11.8%; two councillors); and Sperrin (40.4% - up 9.4%; three councillors).

Equally as impressive was its performance in the Waterside and Faughan, where it nearly doubled its vote share and returned two councillors in both of the DEAs for the first time ever.

In Faughan its vote rose from 16.5% to 29.1% (+12.6%) and in the Waterside it was up from 16.2% to 27.2% (+11%).

Derry & Strabane Council Election 2023: SDLP's Brian Tierney and Catherine McDaid take final two seats in Ballyarnett

Across the council Sinn Féin won 18 seats (+7) in total with 24,658 votes polled (38.7%; +10.6%) – an unprecedented vote share and seat tally.

All 18 of its candidates were returned in what was a masterclass in electoral strategy and vote management following the heavy reversals it suffered in 2019.

Derry & Strabane Council Election 2023: Two new Sinn Féin Councillors complete the line up for Derg

The SDLP won 10 (-1) seats, losing the seat won by Cara Hunter in Derg in 2019 to Sinn Féin. But the party held its own despite a decline in its vote share of 5.5% to 19.9% (12,689 votes).

The SDLP’s resilience locally is an example of how the story of the election in Derry/Strabane does not map neatly onto that of the North as a whole where it was a disappointing day for Colum Eastwood’s party.

Derry & Strabane Council Election 2023: Faughan Final stage - Double delight as Sinn Féin candidates take seats on Council

The DUP and Alliance were the biggest losers locally.

The DUP lost two (down to 5 from 7 in 2019) having received 7,955 votes. Their vote share declined by 2.2% to 12.5%.

Alliance’s vote share largely held up. It received 2,849 first preference votes, down 0.2% to 4.5% but lost its seats in Faughan and the Waterside thanks to remarkable breakthroughs by Sinn Féin and strong polling by the UUP.

Derry & Strabane Council Election 2023: SDLP take two seats in Foyleside and People Before Profit retain seat

The UUP gained one seat - from DUP/Alliance - in Faughan with a poll-topping performance by former DUP councillor Ryan McCready.

The independent bloc was reduced by one, but Gary Donnelly increased his mandate with a massive poll of 1,868 votes in the Moor (25.25% - up 7.52%). Paul Gallagher (1,042 votes; 8.82% - down 1.32%) and Raymond Barr (985 votes; 8.35% - down 0.08%) were both returned in Sperrin. The independent bloc’s vote share is down 4.9% to 7.7% (4,927 votes).

Sinn Féin make history as all 18 candidates elected to Derry City & Strabane District Council

Shaun Harkin retained a seat for People Before Profit in Foyleside, increasing his vote share from 13.28% (977 votes) to 13.67% (979 votes). Maeve O'Neill remained in the fight in the Moor to the bitter end but faced an uphill struggle to retain the seat won by Eamonn McCann in 2019 against a resurgent Sinn Féin.

She received 578 votes (7.81% - down 5.55%). The party's vote share overall declined by 0.7% to 5.2% (3,320 votes) in Derry/Strabane.

Derry & Strabane Council Election 2023: Independents Paul Gallagher and Raymond Barr re-elected as Maurice Devenney loses seat

Aontú’s Emmet Doyle was unable to retain the seat won by Anne McCloskey in Ballyarnett in 2019. In Ballyarnett, Aontú’s vote share decreased from 10.78% (1,032 votes) to 9.11% (887 votes) - a dip of 1.67%. Across the Council its vote was up by 1.2% to 2.9% (1,878 votes).

Derry & Strabane Council Election 2023: Success for SDLP and DUP in Waterside comes at expense of Alliance