# 1981 Newry and Mourne District Council election

Elections to Newry and Mourne District Council were held on 20 May 1981 on the same day as the other Northern Irish local government elections. The election used six district electoral areas to elect a total of 30 councillors.

## Election results

Newry and Mourne District Council Election Result 1981 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| SDLP | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 53.3 | 41.7 | 14,397 | 5.2 |
| UUP | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20.0 | 18.7 | 6,460 | 5.8 |
| Irish Independence | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 13.3 | 11.4 | 3,944 | New |
| DUP | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.7 | 9.5 | 3,291 | 6.4 |
| Anti H-Block | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 2,096 | New |
| Alliance | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 1,240 | 4.7 |
| Ind. Nationalist | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 1,059 | 4.5 |
| Ind. Republican | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 531 | 0.7 |
| Republican Clubs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 682 | 3.1 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 535 | 0.7 |
| Independent Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 33 | 0.1 |
Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

## Districts summary

Results of the Newry and Mourne District Council election, 1981 by district :
| Ward | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | Total Cllrs |
| Ward | SDLP | SDLP | UUP | UUP | IIP | IIP | DUP | DUP | Anti H-Block | Anti H-Block | Others | Others | | Total Cllrs |
| Area A | 31.9 | 2 | 35.4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 23.1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 9.6 | 0 | 5 |
| Area B | 64.0 | 4 | 8.9 | 0 | 8.5 | 0 | 2.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 15.8 | 0 | 4 |
| Area C | 40.0 | 2 | 26.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 22.2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 11.8 | 0 | 4 |
| Area D | 37.1 | 3 | 19.1 | 2 | 25.8 | 2 | 3.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 14.1 | 0 | 7 |
| Area E | 40.0 | 3 | 7.6 | 0 | 7.6 | 1 | 3.7 | 0 | 30.1 | 2 | 11.0 | 0 | 6 |
| Area F | 43.4 | 2 | 16.2 | 1 | 21.6 | 1 | 5.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 13.2 | 0 | 6 |
| Total | 41.7 | 16 | 18.7 | 6 | 11.4 | 4 | 9.5 | 2 | 6.1 | 2 | 12.6 | 0 | 30 |

## Districts results
### Area A

1977: 2 x UUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x DUP 1981: 2 x UUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x DUP 1977-1981 Change: No change
Newry and Mourne Area A - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | SDLP | Colum Murnion | 21.60% | 1,346 | | | |
| | DUP | George Graham* | 20.29% | 1,264 | | | |
| | UUP | William Russell* | 18.54% | 1,155 | | | |
| | UUP | Arthur Coulter* | 16.88% | 1,052 | | | |
| | SDLP | Anne Marie Cunningham* | 10.26% | 639 | 899.13 | 901.13 | 941.13 |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Arthur Doran | 9.63% | 600 | 643.01 | 653.24 | 720.24 |
| | DUP | Robert McConnell | 2.81% | 175 | 175.23 | | |
| Electorate: 8,729 Valid: 6,231 (71.38%) Spoilt: 212 Quota: 1,039 Turnout: 6,443 (73.81%) ||||||||

### Area B

1977: 2 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent Nationalist 1981: 4 x SDLP 1977-1981 Change: SDLP (two seats) gain from Alliance and Independent Nationalist
Newry and Mourne Area B - 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | SDLP | P. J. Bradley | 22.27% | 1,084 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Jim McCart* | 17.40% | 847 | 883.5 | 886.5 | 974.5 | | |
| | SDLP | Liam Trainor* | 12.23% | 595 | 611.5 | 617.5 | 642.4 | 758.7 | 804.7 |
| | SDLP | Brian Mulligan | 12.10% | 589 | 612.7 | 612.7 | 624.9 | 721.1 | 742.4 |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Anthony Williamson* | 9.43% | 459 | 462.3 | 468.3 | 519.5 | 638.3 | 720.3 |
| | UUP | William McCoy | 8.90% | 433 | 433 | 434 | 614 | 620.5 | |
| | Irish Independence | Joe Kearney | 8.47% | 412 | 433.3 | 436.3 | 469.3 | | |
| | Alliance | Eithne Doran | 3.58% | 174 | 175.8 | 177.8 | | | |
| | DUP | Raymond Hanna | 2.77% | 135 | 135.2 | 135.2 | | | |
| | Independent | Peter Maloy | 2.18% | 106 | 106.5 | 112.5 | | | |
| | Independent Labour | Johnny Ward | 0.68% | 33 | 33 | | | | |
| Electorate: 6,919 Valid: 4,867 (70.34%) Spoilt: 182 Quota: 974 Turnout: 5,049 (72.97%) ||||||||||

### Area C

1977: 2 x SDLP, 2 x UUP 1981: 2 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x DUP 1977-1981 Change: DUP gain from UUP
Newry and Mourne Area C - 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | SDLP | Nan Sands* | 24.94% | 1,014 | | | | |
| | DUP | William Sterritt | 22.16% | 901 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Patrick Harper | 15.03% | 611 | 641 | 817.61 | | |
| | UUP | Violet Cromie* | 15.05% | 612 | 628 | 629.68 | 683.68 | 719.99 |
| | UUP | Annie Copeland | 10.97% | 446 | 463 | 463.21 | 493.41 | 507.67 |
| | Independent | James Fagan | 9.71% | 395 | 410 | 429.74 | 429.74 | |
| | Alliance | Violet Watts | 2.14% | 87 | | | | |
| Electorate: 5,648 Valid: 4,066 (71.99%) Spoilt: 132 Quota: 814 Turnout: 4,198 (74.33%) |||||||||

### Area D

1977: 3 x SDLP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent Nationalist 1981: 3 x SDLP, 2 x UUP, 2 x IIP 1977-1981 Change: IIP gain from Alliance, Independent Nationalist joins IIP
Newry and Mourne Area D - 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | Irish Independence | Eugene Markey* | 23.56% | 1,831 | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | John McEvoy* | 12.72% | 988 | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Andy Moffett* | 10.36% | 805 | 808.43 | 808.43 | 1,017.43 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Thomas McGrath* | 8.07% | 627 | 735.29 | 749.23 | 751.72 | 806.44 | 806.44 | 1,201.44 | | |
| | SDLP | John Bell* | 8.55% | 664 | 745.83 | 772.75 | 774.24 | 814 | 814 | 938.9 | 1,148.9 | |
| | UUP | Clarence Morrow* | 8.69% | 675 | 676.47 | 676.47 | 756.47 | 761.96 | 810.68 | 812.17 | 812.17 | 814.27 |
| | Irish Independence | Francis McCamley | 2.15% | 167 | 681.99 | 705.4 | 707.38 | 753.08 | 753.08 | 774.98 | 781.98 | 804.38 |
| | Alliance | Victor Frizell* | 7.57% | 588 | 621.81 | 632.79 | 635.79 | 695.2 | 695.68 | 733.13 | 748.53 | 774.43 |
| | SDLP | Michael McNulty | 7.62% | 592 | 611.6 | 622.6 | 622.6 | 633.05 | 633.05 | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Brian Mulligan | 3.69% | 287 | 351.68 | 452.58 | 452.58 | | | | | |
| | DUP | George McConnell | 3.90% | 303 | 306.43 | 306.43 | | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Matthew Cunningham | 2.61% | 203 | 222.6 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 11,891 Valid: 7,770 (65.34%) Spoilt: 280 Quota: 967 Turnout: 5,010 (42.13%) |||||||||||||

### Area E

1977: 4 x SDLP, 1 x Independent Nationalist, 1 x Independent Republican 1981: 3 x SDLP, 2 x Anti H-Block, 1 x IIP 1977-1981 Change: Anti H-Block (two seats) gain from SDLP and Independent Republican, Independent Nationalist joins IIP
Newry and Mourne Area E - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| | Anti H-Block | James Lynch | 17.85% | 1,244 | | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Pat Toner* | 13.27% | 925 | 936.34 | 940.39 | 940.39 | 952.81 | 1,070.81 | | | | |
| | Anti H-Block | Anthony Watters | 12.22% | 852 | 887.91 | 892.96 | 892.96 | 993.71 | 1,022.71 | | | | |
| | SDLP | James Savage* | 10.88% | 758 | 771.44 | 804.43 | 804.43 | 833.58 | 986.25 | 1,018.59 | | | |
| | SDLP | Owen Kelly* | 8.18% | 570 | 575.04 | 577.25 | 585.25 | 619.72 | 726.24 | 753.19 | 767.19 | 786.66 | 881.33 |
| | Irish Independence | Jim Murphy* | 6.41% | 447 | 514.2 | 551.29 | 552.29 | 614.2 | 651.24 | 653.55 | 656.55 | 657.73 | 935.9 |
| | UUP | Elizabeth McDowell | 7.60% | 530 | 530.21 | 530.21 | 723.21 | 724.21 | 730.21 | 730.21 | 730.21 | 730.21 | 740.21 |
| | Ind. Republican | Sean McCreesh* | 7.62% | 531 | 552.21 | 557.26 | 557.26 | 576.83 | 621.71 | 634.8 | 637.8 | 639.57 | |
| | SDLP | Peter McMahon* | 7.65% | 533 | 561.14 | 565.61 | 566.61 | 576.71 | | | | | |
| | Ind. Republican | Brian Woods | 3.47% | 242 | 288.41 | 292.41 | 292.41 | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Alex Chambers | 3.66% | 255 | 255.42 | 255.42 | | | | | | | |
| | Irish Independence | Sean Reavey | 1.19% | 83 | 98.54 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 9,237 Valid: 6,970 (75.46%) Spoilt: 242 Quota: 996 Turnout: 7,212 (78.08%) ||||||||||||||

### Area F

1977: 2 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance 1981: 2 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x IIP 1977-1981 Change: IIP gain from Alliance
Newry and Mourne Area F - 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | UUP | William McCaigue* | 16.19% | 752 | 752 | 754 | 755 | 979 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Arthur Ruddy* | 18.81% | 874 | 879 | 893 | 914 | 914 | 915.06 | 941.06 | | |
| | Irish Independence | Freddie Kearns | 10.31% | 479 | 487 | 492 | 518 | 520 | 520 | 642 | 900 | 932 |
| | SDLP | Patrick McElroy | 14.33% | 666 | 670 | 676 | 690 | 690 | 693.18 | 702.18 | 732.18 | 862.42 |
| | SDLP | Louis McGuigan | 10.22% | 475 | 477 | 482 | 492 | 492 | 493.06 | 545.06 | 562.06 | 637.65 |
| | Alliance | Michael McVerry* | 6.59% | 306 | 310 | 354 | 365 | 376 | 419.46 | 421.46 | 424.46 | |
| | Irish Independence | Kevin McAleenan | 5.96% | 277 | 281 | 281 | 296 | 300 | 300 | 339 | | |
| | Irish Independence | P. J. McCann | 5.34% | 248 | 249 | 254 | 268 | 270 | 270 | | | |
| | DUP | Gordon Heslip | 5.55% | 258 | 258 | 258 | 258 | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Edward McKeown | 2.26% | 105 | 105 | 105 | | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Michael McLoughlin | 1.87% | 87 | 89 | 90 | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Edward Turley | 1.83% | 85 | 86 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | James Malone | 0.73% | 34 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,263 Valid: 4,646 (63.97%) Spoilt: 187 Quota: 930 Turnout: 4,833 (66.54%) |||||||||||||