Council Election - Can Sinn Féin make it six from six in Slieve Gullion?

Candidates: Pete Byrne (SDLP), Killian Feehan (SDLP); Mickey Larkin (Sinn Féin), Oonagh Magennis (Sinn Féin), Declan Murphy (Sinn Féin), Barra Ó Muirí (Sinn Féin), Aine Quinn (Sinn Féin), Aoife Finnegan (Sinn Féin); Molly Ní Mhánais (Green Party); Caolan Gregory (Alliance); Linda Henry (DUP); Liam Reichenberg (Aontú); David Taylor (UUP)

Already holding five of the seven available seats, Sinn Féin are fielding six candidates in Slieve Gullion DEA with three of those running for the first time - although two of those are sitting councillors.

Crossmaglen native Aoife Finnegan was co-opted onto the council in May 2020 following the retirement of councillor Terry Hearty while Declan Murphy was co-opted onto the council in February 2020 replacing Roisin Mulgrew who was moved to Newry DEA following Liz Kimmins’ co-option to the Assembly. Aine Quinn is the third Sinn Féin election debutant.

Sinn Féin had three of their councillors elected on the first count last time out and it would be a surprise if it wasn’t more of the same this time with Finnegan, Larkin, Magennis and Group Party Leader Ó Muirí expected to be across the line in the early rounds.

Careful vote management will be the order of the day if they want to bring Quinn home and while Murphy would be expected to take his seat, Sinn Féin may have a battle on their hands to make it six. 

In 2019, with little pre-election canvassing the SDLP’s sitting councillor Kate Loughran polled just over 1000 first preference votes, 300 shy of Roisin Mulgrew. However, with Pete Byrne, a first preference success in 2019, expected to retain his seat, the SDLP have a stronger second candidate this time around in Bessbrook’s Killian Feehan. MLA Justin McNulty’s Parliamentary Assistant is a nephew of former long-serving Newry & Mourne District Council councillor John Feehan and the party is confident they can regain a second seat in Slieve Gullion.

The Alliance party polled just over 350 votes in 2019 for a candidate from the other side of county Down. This time around Caolan Gregory from Bessbrook is their local candidate and with Alliance on a roll at the minute across the North, their share of the vote is expected to increase in Slieve Gullion but to the detriment of who is anyone’s guess.

Aontú are running in Slieve Gullion for the first time with Liam Reichenberg their candidate. This local election is perhaps more of a dipping the toe in the water exercise for the party in the North but Reichenberg will take votes which could be crucial when it comes to transfers.

If Sinn Féin do manage their vote, get their people out and take six seats, and it’s an if, who loses out is the question. There is a possibility sitting UUP councillor David Taylor could be under pressure in that case. 

He got over the line in 2019 on the third count thanks to transfers with 1,554.44 votes after polling 1,287 first preferences. Taylor will be expected to poll similar this time around, but his first preference numbers will be crucial - but again he will need transfers. These will likely come from the DUP’s Linda Henry who polled just over 300 last time out. While Nationalist dominated, there is a Unionist seat in Slieve Gullion, but Taylor’s success will depend on getting his vote out.

The other candidate in Slieve Gullion is Molly Ní Mhánais of the Green Party.