# Belfast Area A

Area A was one of the eight district electoral areas (DEA) which existed in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1973 to 1985. Located in the south-east of the city, the district elected seven members to Belfast City Council and contained the wards of Ballymacarrett; Ballynafeigh; Orangefield; Ormeau; Rosetta; The Mount and Willowfield. The DEA formed part of the Belfast South and Belfast East constituencies.

## History

The area was created for the 1973 local government elections, combining the whole of the former Ormeau ward with most of the former Pottinger ward. It was abolished for the 1985 local government elections. The Rosetta and Ballynafeigh wards became part of a new Laganbank DEA, while the remaining five wards joined the Bloomfield ward, formerly part of Area B, in the new Pottinger DEA.

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) |
| 1981 | Donnell Deeny (Alliance) | Grace Bannister (UUP) | William Blair (UUP) | Jeremy Burchill (UUP) | Sammy Wilson (DUP) | John Foster (DUP) | Raymond McCrea (DUP) |
| 1977 | Basil Glass (Alliance) | Grace Bannister (UUP) | William Blair (UUP) | Denis Loretto (Alliance) | Alasdair McDonnell (SDLP) | Robert Newman (DUP) | Raymond McCrea (DUP) |
| 1973 | Patricia Carson (Alliance) | Grace Bannister (UUP) | William Blair (UUP) | Benjamin Horan (UUP) | Thomas Gildea (UUP) | William Elliott (Vanguard) | Erskine Holmes (NILP) |

## 1981 Election

1977: 2 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
1981: 3 x DUP, 3 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
1977-1981 Change: DUP and UUP gain from Alliance and SDLP
Area A - 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| | DUP | John Foster | 18.32% | 3,333 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Jeremy Burchill | 14.23% | 2,589 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Raymond McCrea* | 12.87% | 2,342 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Sammy Wilson | 8.13% | 1,479 | 2,431.64 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Grace Bannister* | 11.29% | 2,055 | 2,081.88 | 2,202 | 2,265 | 2,285.64 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Donnell Deeny | 7.91% | 1,439 | 1,440.92 | 1,447.52 | 1,449.41 | 1,450.05 | 1,460.09 | 1,464.57 | 1,477.81 | 1,553.17 | 1,560.49 | 1,645.85 | 1,657.44 | 2,463.44 | | |
| | UUP | William Blair* | 4.95% | 900 | 918.56 | 1,024.64 | 1,054.7 | 1,067.14 | 1,072.27 | 1,101.76 | 1,211.3 | 1,250.36 | 1,250.36 | 1,258.63 | 1,742.86 | 1,793.34 | 1,936.94 | 1,944.62 |
| | SDLP | Alasdair McDonnell* | 6.94% | 1,262 | 1,263.6 | 1,263.84 | 1,264.02 | 1,264.34 | 1,272.66 | 1,272.66 | 1,273.66 | 1,291.66 | 1,660.75 | 1,856.1 | 1,856.27 | 1,889.76 | 1,932.16 | 1,932.16 |
| | Alliance | Mervyn Jones | 4.21% | 766 | 771.44 | 770.16 | 779.69 | 781.21 | 787.21 | 791.6 | 808.62 | 907.05 | 913.05 | 964.37 | 984.13 | | | |
| | UUP | Tony Wilkins | 2.99% | 544 | 569.28 | 611.76 | 634.26 | 645.94 | 650.19 | 669.27 | 721.95 | 733.24 | 734.24 | 736.33 | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Francis Cullen | 2.30% | 418 | 419.28 | 419.52 | 419.88 | 419.88 | 445.01 | 446.33 | 446.76 | 467.3 | 483.3 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Patrick McGourty | 2.25% | 410 | 410.64 | 410.76 | 410.85 | 410.89 | 412.89 | 412.89 | 412.89 | 419.98 | | | | | | |
| | NI Labour | Derek Peters | 1.52% | 276 | 278.24 | 278.72 | 279.44 | 279.8 | 297.89 | 306.35 | 310.55 | | | | | | | |
| | UPUP | Benjamin Horan | 1.03% | 187 | 196.28 | 206.12 | 223.31 | 228.67 | 230.67 | 239.44 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | John McKeague | 0.54% | 99 | 103.8 | 107.88 | 116.34 | 120.94 | 126.26 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Communist | James Stewart | 0.25% | 97 | 98.92 | 99.52 | 100.15 | 100.51 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 31,215 Valid: 18,196 (58.29%) Spoilt: 937 Quota: 2,275 Turnout: 19,133 (61.29%) |||||||||||||||||||

## 1977 Election

1973: 4 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Vanguard, 1 x NILP
1977: 2 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
1973-1977 Change: DUP (two seats), Alliance and SDLP gain from UUP (two seats), Vanguard and NILP
Area A - 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| | Alliance | Basil Glass | 16.03% | 2,580 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Grace Bannister* | 14.70% | 2,367 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Raymond McCrea | 11.88% | 1,912 | 1,914.31 | 1,918.6 | 1,918.66 | 1,918.66 | 1,918.66 | 1,963.81 | 2,076.21 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | William Blair* | 6.37% | 1,026 | 1,035.66 | 1,270.56 | 1,275.07 | 1,276.07 | 1,290.28 | 1,349.33 | 1,465.68 | 1,466.9 | 1,709.49 | 1,774.11 | 2,358.11 | | | |
| | DUP | Robert Newman | 9.62% | 1,549 | 1,549.63 | 1,552.33 | 1,552.33 | 1,554.33 | 1,601.78 | 1,618.78 | 1,631.23 | 1,682.47 | 1,708.38 | 1,724.38 | 1,764.02 | 1,798.02 | 2,368.02 | |
| | Alliance | Denis Loretto | 4.14% | 667 | 1,109.47 | 1,115.17 | 1,130.01 | 1,152.43 | 1,156.85 | 1,168.42 | 1,174.29 | 1,174.29 | 1,187.64 | 1,542.09 | 1,602.75 | 1,649.75 | 1,711.71 | 1,723.71 |
| | SDLP | Alasdair McDonnell | 8.47% | 1,364 | 1,397.6 | 1,398.2 | 1,408.56 | 1,566.55 | 1,567.55 | 1,571.55 | 1,571.55 | 1,571.55 | 1,573.55 | 1,633.23 | 1,636.23 | 1,638.23 | 1,643.44 | 1,644.44 |
| | Unionist Party NI | Thomas Jordan | 5.93% | 954 | 970.8 | 979.5 | 979.5 | 981.5 | 988.65 | 1,002.88 | 1,015.48 | 1,016.7 | 1,055.08 | 1,122.16 | 1,195.53 | 1,300.53 | 1,481.48 | 1,609.48 |
| | UUUP | Benjamin Horan* | 4.20% | 676 | 679.99 | 687.79 | 687.79 | 687.79 | 897.24 | 954.05 | 960.26 | 963.92 | 990.78 | 1,013.78 | 1,100.7 | 1,202.7 | | |
| | UUP | Thomas Gildea* | 3.00% | 483 | 486.78 | 524.88 | 527.88 | 527.88 | 534.03 | 573.53 | 651.89 | 656.16 | 936.8 | 978.4 | | | | |
| | NI Labour | Brian Garrett | 3.69% | 594 | 610.17 | 614.37 | 667.21 | 697.63 | 699.84 | 715.84 | 719.14 | 719.14 | 728.14 | | | | | |
| | UUP | Walter Shannon | 2.81% | 452 | 454.52 | 475.07 | 476.07 | 476.07 | 480.43 | 489.03 | 654.82 | 656.04 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Alfred Shaw | 2.35% | 378 | 379.89 | 393.84 | 396.84 | 396.84 | 400.14 | 409.74 | | | | | | | | |
| | Ind. Unionist | William Elliott* | 2.35% | 379 | 380.05 | 385.75 | 387.38 | 387.38 | 388.38 | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUUP | Philip Moles | 2.14% | 345 | 345.84 | 347.79 | 347.79 | 349 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Terence McGrattan | 1.73% | 278 | 280.73 | 280.88 | 280.88 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | NI Labour | Derek Peters | 0.58% | 93 | 95.94 | 96.54 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 24,230 Valid: 16,097 (66.43%) Spoilt: 801 Quota: 2,013 Turnout: 16,898 (69.74%) |||||||||||||||||||

## 1973 Election

1973: 4 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Vanguard, 1 x NILP
Area A - 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| | UUP | Grace Bannister | 25.50% | 6,328 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | William Blair | 6.04% | 1,498 | 3,050 | 3,050 | 3,053.5 | 3,065.5 | 3,066.5 | 3,098.5 | 3,103.5 | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Benjamin Horan | 11.15% | 2,768 | 2,958.5 | 2,959.5 | 2,959.5 | 2,982 | 2,984 | 3,069.5 | 3,075.5 | 3,099 | 3,176 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Thomas Gildea | 6.44% | 1,598 | 2,079 | 2,079 | 2,084.5 | 2,096.5 | 2,096.5 | 2,111 | 2,122 | 2,146.5 | 2,170.5 | 2,786 | 2,792 | 3,714 | | | |
| | Alliance | Patricia Carson | 5.30% | 1,315 | 1,373 | 1,376 | 1,440 | 1,440 | 1,457 | 1,459 | 1,675.5 | 2,398.5 | 2,410 | 2,444.5 | 2,444.5 | 2,535.5 | 2,688.5 | 3,226.5 | |
| | Vanguard | William Elliott | 5.33% | 1,322 | 1,358.5 | 1,358.5 | 1,358.5 | 1,418.5 | 1,419.5 | 1,498 | 1,500 | 1,506 | 1,622 | 1,698 | 1,705 | 1,773.5 | 1,847.5 | 1,850.5 | 3,049 |
| | NI Labour | Erskine Holmes | 5.39% | 1,337 | 1,378.5 | 1,421.5 | 1,431.5 | 1,437 | 1,662.5 | 1,669.5 | 1,730 | 1,841 | 1,856 | 1,881.5 | 1,884.5 | 1,953 | 2,048 | 2,860.5 | 2,901.5 |
| | DUP | Thomas Wright | 4.67% | 1,158 | 1,176.5 | 1,177.5 | 1,177.5 | 1,209.5 | 1,212.5 | 1,269.5 | 1,271.5 | 1,273.5 | 1,860.5 | 1,889 | 1,927 | 2,025 | 2,184 | 2,187 | 2,391.5 |
| | United Loyalist | W. Dougherty | 4.83% | 1,198 | 1,265 | 1,265 | 1,265 | 1,317 | 1,317 | 1,405 | 1,406 | 1,414 | 1,527.5 | 1,568 | 1,571 | 1,619 | 1,666 | 1,670 | |
| | SDLP | Ben Caraher | 5.25% | 1,302 | 1,309.5 | 1,329.5 | 1,332.5 | 1,332.5 | 1,445 | 1,446 | 1,483 | 1,502.5 | 1,504 | 1,509.5 | 1,510.5 | 1,512.5 | 1,512.5 | | |
| | UUP | John McKeown | 4.11% | 1,021 | 1,218.5 | 1,218.5 | 1,221.5 | 1,226.5 | 1,226.5 | 1,238 | 1,240 | 1,252 | 1,274 | 1,463.5 | 1,476.5 | | | | |
| | UUP | Emma Dunbar | 2.20% | 546 | 964.5 | 965.5 | 967.5 | 971.5 | 971.5 | 996.5 | 1,001.5 | 1,020.5 | 1,056 | | | | | | |
| | DUP | W. G. Greene | 3.52% | 874 | 905 | 907 | 907 | 937.5 | 940.5 | 1,004.5 | 1,005.5 | 1,013.5 | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Sam Edgerton | 2.83% | 702 | 716 | 720 | 756 | 761 | 780 | 784 | 979.5 | | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Bernadette Hopkirk | 1.73% | 430 | 435.5 | 436.5 | 494.5 | 497 | 550 | 552 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ind. Unionist | J. Keenan | 1.74% | 432 | 443 | 443 | 446 | 479 | 480 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | NI Labour | J. Murray | 1.70% | 421 | 422.5 | 440.5 | 446.5 | 450.5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ulster Constitution Party | Lindsay Mason | 1.09% | 271 | 280 | 280 | 281 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Jacqueline Maguire | 0.77% | 192 | 194 | 196 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Communist | H. Moore | 0.41% | 101 | 101 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 38,311 Valid: 24,814 (64.77%) Spoilt: 360 Quota: 3,102 Turnout: 25,174 (65.71%) ||||||||||||||||||||