# Castle (District Electoral Area)

Castle is one of the ten district electoral areas in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Located in the north of the city, the district elects six members to Belfast City Council and contains the wards of Bellevue, Cavehill, Chichester Park, Duncairn, Fortwilliam and Innisfayle. Castle, along with Oldpark district and parts of the Court district and Newtownabbey Borough Council, forms the Belfast North constituency for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament. The district is bounded to the east by the Victoria Channel, to the north by Newtownabbey Borough Council and Belfast Lough, to the south by North Street and to the west by the Cavehill Road.
The district takes its name from the current Belfast Castle, which is located on Cave Hill in the north of the district, while the southern section of the district is part of the city centre and forms one of Belfast's main cultural areas, known as the Cathedral Quarter. The east of the area also contains the Port of Belfast. Castle is served by the M2 and M5 motorways and the Yorkgate railway station.
Castle is one of the most mixed areas in the city, with just over half of the district's population being Protestant at the 2001 Census. There are a number of peace lines in the district, for example along the Whitewell Road.

## History

Castle was created for the 1985 local elections. All six wards came from the former Area H, with only the Cliftonville ward and northern section of the Waterworks ward omitted from the new district. One of the district's six wards, Castleview, was renamed Innisfayle in 2014.

## Amenities

* Albert Memorial Clock
* Belfast Castle
* Belfast Exposed photographic gallery
* Belfast Harbour
* Belfast Hebrew Congregation
* Belfast Zoo
* Cavehill
* Dividers Sculpture
* Giant's Park
* McHugh's Bar
* Merchant Hotel
* The Northern Whig Bar
* NvTv (Northern Visions Television)
* Obel Tower
* St Anne’s Cathedral (Church of Ireland)
* The Big Fish, sculpture
Sport
* Seaview, Crusaders F.C. home ground
* Skegoneill Avenue, Brantwood F.C. home ground
Education
* Castle High School
* Dominican College
* Hazelwood College
* Seaview Primary School
* St Patrick's College
* University of Ulster, Belfast Campus

## Wards

| Map | Ward | Population (2011 Census) | Catholic | Protestant | Other | No Religion | Area | Density | NI Assembly | UK Parliament |
| 1 | Bellevue | 4,910 | 63.7% | 29.3% | 1.1% | 6% | 2.96 km$^2$ | 1,659/km$^2$ | Belfast North | Belfast North |
| 2 | Castleview | 4,722 | 38.1% | 54.2% | 1.2% | 6.5% | 1.41 km$^2$ | 3,349/km$^2$ | Belfast North | Belfast North |
| 3 | Cavehill | 4,820 | 57.1% | 37.7% | 0.9% | 4.3% | 3.41 km$^2$ | 1,413/km$^2$ | Belfast North | Belfast North |
| 4 | Chichester Park | 5,452 | 74.3% | 17.2% | 1.6% | 6.9% | 0.95 km$^2$ | 5,739/km$^2$ | Belfast North | Belfast North |
| 5 | Duncairn | 4,901 | 23.6% | 63.9% | 2.2% | 10.3 | 9.24 km$^2$ | 530/km$^2$ | Belfast North | Belfast North |
| 6 | Fortwilliam | 4,561 | 41.3% | 50.3% | 1.2% | 7.2% | 1.03 km$^2$ | 4,428/km$^2$ | Belfast North | Belfast North |
| Castle | Castle | 29,366 | 50.3% | 41.5% | 1.4% | 6.9% | 19 km$^2$ | 1,546/km$^2$ | | |

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) |
| 2023 | Fred Cobain (DUP) | Dean McCullough (DUP) | Brónach Anglin (Sinn Féin) | Sam Nelson (Alliance) | Carl Whyte (SDLP) | Conor Maskey (Sinn Féin) |
| May 2022 Co-Option | Fred Cobain (DUP) | Dean McCullough (DUP) | Mal O'Hara (Green Party) | Sam Nelson (Alliance) | Carl Whyte (SDLP) | Conor Maskey (Sinn Féin) |
| April 2020 Co-Option | Fred Cobain (DUP) | Dean McCullough (DUP) | Mal O'Hara (Green Party) | Nuala McAllister (Alliance) | Carl Whyte (SDLP) | Conor Maskey (Sinn Féin) |
| January 2020 Co-Option | Fred Cobain (DUP) | Guy Spence (DUP) | Mal O'Hara (Green Party) | Nuala McAllister (Alliance) | Carl Whyte (SDLP) | Conor Maskey (Sinn Féin) |
| 2019 | Fred Cobain (DUP) | Guy Spence (DUP) | Mal O'Hara (Green Party) | Nuala McAllister (Alliance) | Carl Whyte (SDLP) | John Finucane (Sinn Féin) |
| July 2017 Defection | Lydia Patterson (DUP) | Guy Spence (DUP) | David Browne (UUP) | Nuala McAllister (Alliance) | Pat Convery (SDLP)/ (Independent) | Mary Ellen Campbell (Sinn Féin) |
| 2014 | Lydia Patterson (DUP) | Guy Spence (DUP) | David Browne (UUP) | Nuala McAllister (Alliance) | Pat Convery (SDLP)/ (Independent) | Mary Ellen Campbell (Sinn Féin) |
| 2011 | Lydia Patterson (DUP) | Guy Spence (DUP) | David Browne (UUP) | Tierna Cunningham (Sinn Féin) | Pat Convery (SDLP)/ (Independent) | Mary Ellen Campbell (Sinn Féin) |
| 2005 | Nigel Dodds (DUP) | Ian Crozier (DUP) | David Browne (UUP) | Tierna Cunningham (Sinn Féin) | Pat Convery (SDLP)/ (Independent) | Cathal Mallaghan (SDLP) |
| 2001 | Nigel Dodds (DUP) | Ian Crozier (DUP) | David Browne (UUP) | Alban Maginness (SDLP) | Pat Convery (SDLP)/ (Independent) | Danny Lavery (Sinn Féin) |
| 1997 | Nigel Dodds (DUP) | Nelson McCausland (UUP)/ (Independent Unionist) | David Browne (UUP) | Alban Maginness (SDLP) | Tom Campbell (Alliance) | Danny Lavery (Sinn Féin) |
| 1993 | Nigel Dodds (DUP) | Nelson McCausland (UUP)/ (Independent Unionist) | David Browne (UUP) | Alban Maginness (SDLP) | Jonathan Stevenson (SDLP) | John Carson (UUP) |
| 1989 | Nigel Dodds (DUP) | Nelson McCausland (UUP)/ (Independent Unionist) | Frank Millar (Independent Unionist) | Alban Maginness (SDLP) | Tom Campbell (Alliance) | John Carson (UUP) |
| 1985 | Nigel Dodds (DUP) | Alfred Redpath (UUP) | Frank Millar (Independent Unionist) | Alban Maginness (SDLP) | Tom Campbell (Alliance) | John Carson (UUP) |

## 2023 Election

2019: 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Green
2023: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from Green
Castle - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Sinn Féin | Brónach Anglin | 20.15% | 2,479 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Conor Maskey* | 16.81% | 2,068 | | | | |
| | DUP | Fred Cobain* | 14.43% | 1,775 | | | | |
| | DUP | Dean McCullough* | 13.59% | 1,671 | 1,673.31 | 1,673.85 | 2,021.85 | |
| | Alliance | Sam Nelson* | 11.31% | 1,392 | 1,546.11 | 1,590.03 | 1,772.03 | |
| | SDLP | Carl Whyte* | 8.51% | 1,047 | 1,378.98 | 1,511.28 | 1,608.53 | 1,628.53 |
| | Green (NI) | Mal O'Hara* | 7.96% | 979 | 1,137.73 | 1,225.75 | 1,474.88 | 1,553.88 |
| | UUP | Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston | 4.50% | 553 | 555.64 | 556.72 | | |
| | People Before Profit | Barney Doherty | 2.03% | 250 | 300.16 | 327.16 | | |
| | Workers' Party | Lily Kerr | 0.70% | 86 | 102.17 | 111.17 | | |
| Electorate: 23,442 Valid: 12,479 (53.23%) Spoilt: 179 Quota: 1,758 Turnout: 12,300 (52.47%) |||||||||

## 2019 Election

2014: 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2019: 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Green
2014-2019 Change: Green gain from UUP
Castle - 6 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 |
| | Alliance | Nuala McAllister* † | 15.81% | 1,787 | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | John Finucane † | 14.60% | 1,650 | | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Fred Cobain | 12.73% | 1,439 | 1,440.35 | 1,440.35 | 1,443.34 | 1,446.44 | 1,458.44 | 1,460.53 | 1,939.53 | |
| | DUP | Guy Spence* † | 12.45% | 1,407 | 1,408.08 | 1,408.08 | 1,412.17 | 1,418.26 | 1,425.26 | 1,426.35 | 1,783.35 | |
| | Green (NI) | Mal O'Hara | 7.80% | 882 | 939.51 | 967.67 | 1,031.82 | 1,174.86 | 1,277.64 | 1,350.6 | 1,423.01 | 1,493.01 |
| | SDLP | Carl Whyte | 5.76% | 651 | 680.61 | 690.51 | 709.32 | 727.04 | 835.2 | 1,365.4 | 1,397.65 | 1,432.65 |
| | Sinn Féin | Mary Ellen Campbell* | 9.76% | 1,103 | 1,109.66 | 1,111.93 | 1,128.29 | 1,145.56 | 1,183.92 | 1,212.91 | 1,200 | 1,223 |
| | UUP | David Browne* | 8.97% | 1,014 | 1,022.46 | 1,024.64 | 1,027 | 1,033.27 | 1,042.72 | 1,049.35 | | |
| | SDLP | Heather Wilson | 4.87% | 551 | 572.78 | 586.23 | 604.31 | 614.58 | 686.57 | | | |
| | Independent | Patrick Convery* | 3.33% | 377 | 384.47 | 398.19 | 406.46 | 426.18 | | | | |
| | People Before Profit | Riley Johnston | 1.80% | 204 | 211.83 | 215.83 | 245.46 | | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Gemma Weir | 1.38% | 159 | 166.92 | 171.32 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Cathal Mullaghan | 0.67% | 76 | 81.49 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 22,262 Valid: 11,300 (50.76%) Spoilt: 136 Quota: 1,615 Turnout: 11,436 (51.37%) |||||||||||||

## 2014 Election

2011: 2 x DUP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2014: 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
2014-2019 Change: Alliance gain from Sinn Féin
Castle - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Sinn Féin | Mary Ellen Campbell* | 15.31% | 1,619 | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Patrick Convery* ‡ | 11.32% | 1,197 | 1,206.6 | 1,229.66 | 1,335.9 | 1,756.9 | | |
| | Alliance | Nuala McAllister | 9.64% | 1,020 | 1,021.8 | 1,064.86 | 1,261.1 | 1,388.58 | 1,410.58 | 1,549.18 |
| | DUP | Guy Spence* | 12.66% | 1,339 | 1,339.12 | 1,340.12 | 1,356.12 | 1,357.12 | 1,493.12 | 1,493.89 |
| | DUP | Lydia Patterson* | 12.06% | 1,276 | 1,276.18 | 1,277.18 | 1,287.18 | 1,295.18 | 1,463.18 | 1,467.03 |
| | UUP | David Browne* | 10.71% | 1,133 | 1,133.12 | 1,136.12 | 1,158.12 | 1,163.12 | 1,459.12 | 1,465.28 |
| | Sinn Féin | Tierna Cunningham* | 9.81% | 1,038 | 1,117.14 | 1,144.38 | 1,216.4 | 1,258.48 | 1,259.48 | 1,352.65 |
| | PUP | William McQuade | 6.21% | 657 | 657 | 659 | 673 | 677 | | |
| | SDLP | Cathal Mullaghan | 5.24% | 554 | 555.98 | 596.98 | 651.28 | | | |
| | NI21 | Alison Crawford | 3.18% | 336 | 337.08 | 343.08 | | | | |
| | Independent | Fra Hughes | 2.06% | 218 | 219.02 | 245.02 | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Gemma Weir | 1.81% | 191 | 191.48 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 20,977 Valid: 10,578 (50.43%) Spoilt: 175 Quota: 1,512 Turnout: 10,753 (51.26%) |||||||||||

## 2011 Election

2005: 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP
2011: 2 x DUP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2005-2011 Change: Sinn Féin gain from SDLP
Castle - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | DUP | Lydia Patterson | 14.85% | 1,489 | | | | | |
| | DUP | Guy Spence | 9.44% | 946 | 949 | 1,529 | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Tierna Cunningham* | 13.74% | 1,377 | 1,404 | 1,404 | 1,433 | | |
| | SDLP | Patrick Convery* | 13.64% | 1,367 | 1,399 | 1,404 | 1,606 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Mary Ellen Campbell | 12.90% | 1,293 | 1,310 | 1,310 | 1,326 | 1,335 | 1,335 |
| | UUP | David Browne* | 11.78% | 1,181 | 1,185 | 1,211 | 1,332 | 1,345 | 1,440.04 |
| | SDLP | Cathal Mullaghan* | 8.81% | 883 | 903 | 904 | 1,120 | 1,255 | 1,255.64 |
| | Alliance | David McKechnie | 6.87% | 689 | 726 | 732 | | | |
| | DUP | Lee Reynolds | 6.27% | 629 | 632 | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | John Lavery | 1.70% | 170 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 19,494 Valid: 10,024 (51.42%) Spoilt: 223 Quota: 1,433 Turnout: 10,247 (52.56%) ||||||||||

## 2005 Election

2001: 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP
2005: 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP
2001-2005 Change: No change
Castle - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds* | 28.96% | 3,161 | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Pat Convery* | 16.66% | 1,818 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | David Browne* | 10.52% | 1,148 | 1,454.51 | 1,563.59 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Cathal Mullaghan | 10.41% | 1,136 | 1,139.57 | 1,408.14 | 1,614.92 | | | |
| | DUP | Ian Crozier* | 4.01% | 438 | 1,390.68 | 1,408.23 | 1,408.65 | 2,010.65 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Tierna Cunningham | 9.43% | 1,029 | 1,032.06 | 1,066.06 | 1,087.34 | 1,109.25 | 1,133.25 | 1,163.17 |
| | Sinn Féin | David Kennedy | 9.17% | 1,001 | 1,003.04 | 1,032.55 | 1,046.41 | 1,068.4 | 1,090.4 | 1,111.4 |
| | DUP | Lydia Patterson | 5.66% | 618 | 908.7 | 918.74 | 919.16 | | | |
| | Alliance | Marjorie Hawkins | 2.47% | 270 | 279.69 | | | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Shane Ó Heorpa | 1.68% | 183 | 183.51 | | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | John Lavery | 1.03% | 112 | 117.61 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 18,413 Valid: 10,914 (59.27%) Spoilt: 253 Quota: 1,560 Turnout: 11,167 (60.65%) |||||||||||

## 2001 Election

1997: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Sinn Féin,
2001: 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP
1997-2001 Change: DUP and SDLP gain from UUP and Alliance
Castle - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds* | 27.94% | 3,949 | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness* | 17.83% | 2,520 | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Ian Crozier | 5.37% | 759 | 2,142.12 | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Danny Lavery* | 14.09% | 1,991 | 1,992.02 | 2,094.62 | | | | | |
| | UUP | David Browne* | 10.97% | 1,550 | 1,868.75 | 1,874.95 | 1,946.95 | 1,947.7 | 1,951.7 | 1,979.41 | 2,337.41 |
| | SDLP | Pat Convery | 9.93% | 1,403 | 1,407.08 | 1,698.88 | 1,699.13 | 1,749.68 | 1,775.83 | 1,786.83 | 1,911.93 |
| | Alliance | Tom Campbell* | 6.96% | 984 | 1,027.86 | 1,090.06 | 1,094.56 | 1,106.71 | 1,131.07 | 1,141.27 | 1,325.27 |
| | PUP | Janet Carson | 2.49% | 352 | 456.04 | 457.84 | 478.44 | 478.74 | 484.45 | 490.41 | |
| | NI Women's Coalition | Elizabeth Byrne McCullough | 1.79% | 253 | 259.12 | 277.32 | 279.12 | 284.67 | 300.38 | 308.63 | |
| | Independent | David Mahood | 1.26% | 178 | 218.8 | 220.2 | 229.05 | 229.05 | 230.15 | 236.71 | |
| | Independent | Alexander Blair | 0.77% | 109 | 115.63 | 116.03 | 117.78 | 117.78 | 118.83 | | |
| | Workers' Party | Marcella Delaney | 0.59% | 84 | 87.57 | 91.37 | 91.62 | 94.02 | | | |
| Electorate: 21,068 Valid: 14,132 (67.08%) Spoilt: 365 Quota: 2,019 Turnout: 14,497 (68.81%) ||||||||||||

## 1997 Election

1993: 2 x UUP, 2 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1997: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Sinn Féin
1993-1997 Change: Alliance and Sinn Féin gain from UUP and SDLP, Independent Unionist joins UUP
Castle - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds* | 17.41% | 2,081 | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness* | 14.90% | 1,781 | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Tom Campbell | 11.86% | 1,417 | 1,420.06 | 1,423.46 | 1,518.18 | 1,527.68 | 1,917.68 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Danny Lavery | 11.40% | 1,362 | 1,362.18 | 1,368.38 | 1,397.74 | 1,397.92 | 1,616.08 | 1,619.28 | 1,715.28 |
| | UUP | David Browne* | 9.49% | 1,134 | 1,169.1 | 1,169.18 | 1,192.54 | 1,300.26 | 1,301.62 | 1,633.3 | 1,638.3 |
| | UUP | Nelson McCausland* | 8.91% | 1,065 | 1,114.86 | 1,114.9 | 1,124.26 | 1,253.26 | 1,256.62 | 1,456.04 | 1,462.04 |
| | UUP | John Carson* | 8.58% | 1,025 | 1,060.28 | 1,060.52 | 1,073.52 | 1,169.38 | 1,192.62 | 1,390.04 | 1,430.04 |
| | PUP | Jim Crothers | 6.51% | 778 | 797.8 | 797.8 | 821.2 | 911.18 | 920.46 | | |
| | SDLP | Jonathan Stevenson* | 6.02% | 720 | 720 | 777.92 | 832.48 | 832.48 | | | |
| | DUP | Robert Ferris | 0.71% | 85 | 304.96 | 304.96 | 309.14 | | | | |
| | Ulster Democratic | Raymond Gilliland | 1.81% | 216 | 220.14 | 220.14 | 224.32 | | | | |
| | NI Women's Coalition | Eileen Calder | 1.25% | 149 | 150.08 | 151.12 | | | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Alan Warren | 0.61% | 73 | 73 | 73.24 | | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Paul Treanor | 0.44% | 53 | 53.18 | 53.9 | | | | | |
| | Ulster Independence | Norman McClelland | 0.01% | 8 | 8.18 | 8.18 | | | | | |
| | Natural Law | Andrea Gribben | 0.01% | 5 | 5 | 5.04 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 21,949 Valid: 11,952 (54.45%) Spoilt: 288 Quota: 1,708 Turnout: 12,240 (55.77%) ||||||||||||

## 1993 Election

1989: 2 x Independent Unionist, 1 x UUP, 1 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
1993: 2 x UUP, 2 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1989-1993 Change: UUP and SDLP gain from Independent Unionist and Alliance
Castle - 6 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 |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds* | 20.61% | 2,470 | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | David Browne | 15.27% | 1,830 | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | John Carson* | 12.98% | 1,556 | 1,862.24 | | | | | | | |
| | Ind. Unionist | Nelson McCausland* | 8.93% | 1,070 | 1,475.76 | 1,604.58 | 1,608.9 | 1,696.61 | 1,801.61 | | | |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness* | 13.26% | 1,589 | 1,589.96 | 1,589.96 | 1,617.96 | 1,618.31 | 1,626.38 | 2,010.38 | | |
| | SDLP | Jonathan Stevenson | 9.09% | 1,090 | 1,090 | 1,090 | 1,100 | 1,100.21 | 1,101.21 | 1,296.2 | 1,565.9 | 1,566.9 |
| | Alliance | Tom Campbell* | 9.78% | 1,172 | 1,185.44 | 1,194.75 | 1,225.75 | 1,234.15 | 1,311.09 | 1,465.04 | 1,490.15 | 1,550.15 |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerard McGuigan | 4.80% | 575 | 575.64 | 575.64 | 578.64 | 578.92 | 579.31 | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Alan Warren | 2.09% | 251 | 255.8 | 257.51 | 303.83 | 306.7 | 337.1 | | | |
| | NI Conservatives | Margaret Redpath | 2.05% | 246 | 269.36 | 274.49 | 274.49 | 281.63 | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Paul Treanor | 1.13% | 136 | 137.28 | 137.66 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 22,839 Valid: 11,985 (52.48%) Spoilt: 346 Quota: 1,713 Turnout: 12,331 (53.99%) |||||||||||||

## 1989 Election

1985: 2 x UUP, 1 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent Unionist
1989: 2 x Independent Unionist, 1 x UUP, 1 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
1985-1989 Change: Independent Unionist gain from UUP
Castle - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness* | 19.17% | 2,301 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | John Carson* | 18.26% | 2,192 | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds* | 14.82% | 1,779 | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Tom Campbell* | 8.77% | 1,053 | 1,384.02 | 1,405.36 | 1,405.63 | 1,488.77 | 1,493.04 | 1,591.75 | 1,855.75 |
| | Ind. Unionist | Frank Millar* | 11.54% | 1,385 | 1,386.62 | 1,455.7 | 1,460.44 | 1,475.44 | 1,559.34 | 1,561.16 | 1,618.15 |
| | Ind. Unionist | Nelson McCausland | 9.69% | 1,163 | 1,163 | 1,270.36 | 1,276.3 | 1,280.1 | 1,390.64 | 1,392.76 | 1,433.56 |
| | UUP | Alfred Redpath* | 6.39% | 767 | 771.05 | 993.25 | 996.76 | 1,003.74 | 1,053.35 | 1,061.95 | 1,118.56 |
| | Workers' Party | Anthony Kerr | 4.13% | 496 | 612.37 | 619.85 | 620.24 | 714.69 | 724.37 | 864.13 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Bobby Lavery* | 3.77% | 453 | 510.78 | 511.22 | 511.43 | 527.37 | 527.37 | | |
| | DUP | Samuel Lowry | 1.80% | 216 | 216.27 | 254.11 | 291.13 | 294.13 | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Maria O'Sullivan | 0.79% | 95 | 139.28 | 140.16 | 140.19 | | | | |
| | Labour '87 | Thomas Galloway | 0.86% | 103 | 124.87 | 127.95 | 128.04 | | | | |
| Electorate: 24,488 Valid: 12,003 (49.02%) Spoilt: 323 Quota: 1,715 Turnout: 12,326 (50.33%) ||||||||||||

## 1985 Election

1985: 2 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent Unionist
Castle - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | UUP | John Carson* | 24.23% | 3,153 | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness | 15.19% | 1,977 | | | | | | | |
| | Ind. Unionist | Frank Millar* | 12.47% | 1,623 | 1,812.83 | 1,813.08 | 1,836.49 | 1,863.28 | | | |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds | 11.54% | 1,502 | 1,622.95 | 1,623 | 1,625.05 | 1,632.51 | 2,179.51 | | |
| | UUP | Alfred Redpath | 8.51% | 1,107 | 1,783.5 | 1,783.5 | 1,797.73 | 1,821.83 | 1,916.83 | | |
| | Alliance | Tom Campbell | 6.14% | 799 | 822.37 | 825.42 | 919.79 | 1,333.54 | 1,337.77 | 1,351.99 | 1,870.99 |
| | Ind. Unionist | William Gault* | 5.18% | 674 | 892.94 | 893.04 | 903.86 | 915.55 | 980.31 | 1,280.51 | 1,281.51 |
| | SDLP | John Murphy | 4.45% | 579 | 581.87 | 672.17 | 864.67 | 885.52 | 885.52 | 887.89 | |
| | DUP | Michael Whittley | 5.43% | 706 | 726.5 | 726.5 | 733.5 | 739.32 | | | |
| | Alliance | Robert Jamison | 3.45% | 449 | 474.42 | 475.87 | 530.04 | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Katherine Johnston | 3.41% | 444 | 448.51 | 451.06 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 24,488 Valid: 12,003 (49.02%) Spoilt: 323 Quota: 1,715 Turnout: 12,326 (50.33%) ||||||||||||