Write a commentLocal election fever is all over for another four years with all 41 seats now filled in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council following a marathon two day count at Newry Sports Centre.
Final totals for the parties were Sinn Féin 16 Seats, SDLP 11 seats, Independent/ Henry Reilly 5 seats, UUP 4 seats, DUP 3 seats and Alliance 2 seats.
Newry Results
Newry DEA ended much like it began with three Sinn Féin, Two SDLP and one Independent. Gavin Malone headed the poll with 2296 votes, Next to be elected was Sinn Féin's Liz Kimmins with 1374 votes. Michael Savage who was co-opted on to the council in 2017 was elected next with 1231 votes. Sinn Féin's Charlie Casey a councillor in Newry since 2001 was elected with 1230 votes while party colleague Valerie Harte crossed the line with 1045 votes. The SDLP's Gary Stokes was last to make it with 878 votes.
The big story was the massive number of first preference votes for former council worker Gavin Malone although potential drama at the other end of the count also led to quite a lot of nail biting.
At one stage it looked like Alliance candidate Helena Young might just pip Cllr Stokes to the finish line and although not elected in the end Ms Young polled 721 votes, an unthought of result for Alliance in Newry until now.
Eliminated were newcomers Sinn Féin's Sarah Jane McAllister with 784 votes and the UUP's Ricky McGaffin with 341 votes.
Winners and Losers
As usual there were winners and losers with a gain of two councillors for Sinn Féin, Oonagh Magennis in Slieve Gullion and Leeanne McEvoy in The Mournes.
The tally of independent councillors was also increased by one with Mark Gibbons elected in Crotlieve.
Losing out were some well known public figures. Michael Carr, a councilllor since 2001 who held the post of Mayor of the former Newry and Mourne Council in 2006 was eliminated in Crotlieve with 808 votes.Sinn Féin's Oksana McMahon, the present Deputy Chairperson was also eliminated in Crotlieve with 809 votes while sitting Slieve Gullion SDLP councillor, Kate Loughran lost her seat.
Council Chairman the SDLP's Mark Murnin also failed to gain a seat in Slieve Croob having been in the council since 2014.
THE 41 ELECTED
Newry
Gavin Malone, Independent
Liz Kimmins, Sinn Féin
Michael Savage, SDLP
Charlie Casey, Sinn Féin
Valerie Harte, Sinn Féin
Gary Stokes, SDLP
Slieve Gullion
Pete Byrne, SDLP
Terry Hearty, Sinn Féin
Mickey Larkin, Sinn Féin
Oonagh Magennis, Sinn Féin
Roisin Mulgrew, Sinn Féin
Barra Ó'Muirí, Sinn Féin
David Taylor, UUP.
Crotlieve
Mark Gibbons,Independent
Declan McAteer, SDLP
Karen McKevitt, SDLP
Gerry O'Hare, Sinn Féin
Mickey Ruane, Sinn Féin
Jarlath Tinnelly, Independent
Downpatrick
Dermot Curran, SDLP
Cadogan Enright, Independent
Oonagh Hanlon, Sinn Féin
Gareth Sharvin, SDLP
John Trainor, SDLP
The Mournes
Willie Clarke, Sinn Féin
Laura Devlin, SDLP
Sean Doran, Sinn Féin
Glyn Hanna, DUP
Leeanne McEvoy, Sinn Féin
Harold McKee, UUP
Henry Reilly
Rowallane
Patrick Brown, Alliance
Terry Andrews, SDLP
Harry Harvey, DUP
Robert Burgess, UUP
William Walker, DUP
Slieve Croob
Alan Lewis, UUP
Roisin Howell, Sinn Féin
Cathy Mason, Sinn Féin
Gregory Bain, Alliance
Hugh Gallagher, SDLP
