Five-star Sinn Fein result as Finnegan steals show

Five-star Sinn Fein result as Finnegan steals show

24 May 2023

WHILE Sinn Fein dominated the Slieve Gullion count returning five councillors, it was David Taylor who ensured that the Ulster Unionist Party retained its presence on Newry, Mourne and Down Council.

With Robert Burgess losing his seat in Rowallane, all eyes were on UUP man Taylor who polled 1,197 first preference votes, but was made to hang on to the dying embers of the Newry Leisure Centre count to retain his seat.

With the TUV’s Harold McKee having lost his seat in The Mournes, DUP councillors who had already been returned were hoping that Taylor would make it.

With seven seats up for grabs, the SDLP’s Pete Byrne was also returned for another four years, but it was the Sinn Fein performance which dominated the count.

The council’s former vice-chairwoman, Aoife Finnegan, topped the poll with 1,934 votes and was elected on the first count to raucous cheers from party supporters.

Party colleagues Aine Quinn and Declan Murphy were also elected after the first count with 1,932 and 1,907 first preference votes respectively.

Oonagh Magennis (1,316 votes) and Mickey Larkin (1,558 votes) completed the Sinn Fein line-up, but there was sadness at the loss of the party’s council group leader, Barra O Muirí, who polled 1,331 votes — just 20 less than he did in 2019.

Elsewhere, the SDLP’s Killian Feehan polled 903 votes, which wasn’t enough to secure a seat, with Aontú’s Liam Reichenberg polling 439 votes.

The DUP’s Linda Henry polled 360 votes, with Alliance’s Caolan Gregory polling 298 first preferences and the Green Party’s Molly Ni Mhánais polling 69 votes.