# Rural (District Electoral Area)

Rural was one of the five district electoral areas in Derry, Northern Ireland which existed from 1985 to 2014. The district elected seven members to Derry City Council until 1993, and six members until 2014, and formed part of the Foyle constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.
It was created for the 1985 local elections, replacing Londonderry Area A which had existed since 1973, and contained the wards of Banagher, Claudy, Corrody, Eglinton, Enagh, Faughan and New Buildings. For the 1993 local elections it was reduced by one ward, losing Corrody and Faughan but gaining Holly Mount. It was abolished for the 2014 local elections and replaced with the Faughan DEA.

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) |
| 2011 | Paul Fleming (Sinn Féin) | Thomas Conway (SDLP) | Gus Hastings (SDLP) | Brenda Stevenson (SDLP) | Maurice Devenney (DUP) | Gary Middleton (DUP) | 6 seats 1985–1993 | 6 seats 1985–1993 |
| 2005 | Paul Fleming (Sinn Féin) | Thomas Conway (SDLP) | Jim McKeever (SDLP) | Liam Boyle (SDLP) | Maurice Devenney (DUP) | William Hay (DUP) | 6 seats 1985–1993 | 6 seats 1985–1993 |
| 2001 | Paul Fleming (Sinn Féin) | Thomas Conway (SDLP) | Jim McKeever (SDLP) | Annie Courtney (SDLP) | Andrew Davidson (UUP) | William Hay (DUP) | 6 seats 1985–1993 | 6 seats 1985–1993 |
| 1997 | Ernest Hamilton (UUP) | John McNickle (SDLP) | George Peoples (SDLP) | Annie Courtney (SDLP) | Andrew Davidson (UUP) | William Hay (DUP) | 6 seats 1985–1993 | 6 seats 1985–1993 |
| 1993 | Richard Dallas (UUP) | John McNickle (SDLP) | George Peoples (SDLP) | Annie Courtney (SDLP) | Mervyn Lindsay (DUP) | William Hay (DUP) | 6 seats 1985–1993 | 6 seats 1985–1993 |
| 1989 | Ernest Hamilton (UUP) | John McNickle (SDLP) | George Peoples (SDLP) | Annie Courtney (SDLP) | Mervyn Lindsay (DUP) | William Hay (DUP) | | John Adams (UUP) |
| 1985 | Ernest Hamilton (UUP) | John McNickle (SDLP) | Hugh O'Neill (SDLP) | Annie Courtney (SDLP) | Ellis Allen (DUP) | William Hay (DUP) | | John Adams (UUP) |

## 2011 election

2005: 3 x SDLP, 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin
2011: 3 x SDLP, 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin
2005-2011 change: No change
Rural - 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 |
| | Sinn Féin | Paul Fleming* | 18.39% | 1,693 | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Thomas Conway* | 17.55% | 1,616 | | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Maurice Devenney* | 15.56% | 1,433 | | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Gary Middleton | 13.24% | 1,219 | 1,221.07 | 1,224.3 | 1,224.3 | 1,227.3 | 1,732.3 | | | |
| | SDLP | Brenda Stevenson | 6.68% | 615 | 628.34 | 685.34 | 709.76 | 1,110.67 | 1,179.23 | 1,285.23 | 1,352.19 | |
| | SDLP | Gus Hastings | 6.78% | 624 | 652.98 | 771.16 | 827.44 | 889.84 | 920.22 | 975.22 | 1,022.03 | 1,049.31 |
| | Sinn Féin | Catherine Nelis | 6.85% | 631 | 938.51 | 972.33 | 1,009.51 | 1,039.17 | 1,040.36 | 1,042.36 | 1,045.15 | 1,047.01 |
| | UUP | Ronald McKeegan | 7.58% | 698 | 698.46 | 702.83 | 725.83 | 730.83 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Ashleen Schenning | 4.59% | 423 | 432.43 | 498.93 | 544.29 | | | | | |
| | People Before Profit | Diane Greer | 2.78% | 256 | 262.44 | 267.76 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 16,892 Valid: 9,208 (54.51%) Spoilt: 202 Quota: 1,316 Turnout: 9,410 (55.71%) |||||||||||||

## 2005 election

2001: 3 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP
2005: 3 x SDLP, 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin
2001-2005 change: DUP gain from UUP
Rural - 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 | William Hay* | 14.70% | 1,413 | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Thomas Conway* | 14.24% | 1,368 | 1,368.12 | 1,443.12 | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Liam Boyle | 10.56% | 1,015 | 1,015.06 | 1,089.1 | 1,133.74 | 1,237.67 | 1,371.6 | 1,382.6 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Paul Fleming* | 11.83% | 1,137 | 1,137.02 | 1,157.04 | 1,159.83 | 1,172.83 | 1,232.85 | 1,232.85 | 1,772.85 | |
| | DUP | Maurice Devenney | 13.27% | 1,275 | 1,296.16 | 1,302.2 | 1,302.2 | 1,304.24 | 1,313.26 | 1,363.22 | 1,366.24 | 1,366.24 |
| | SDLP | Jim McKeever* | 7.02% | 675 | 675.12 | 715.12 | 717.91 | 948.79 | 1,051.76 | 1,082.8 | 1,141.83 | 1,266.15 |
| | UUP | Ernest Hamilton | 5.55% | 533 | 536.5 | 560.54 | 560.54 | 565.56 | 573.6 | 940.48 | 942.48 | 943.22 |
| | Sinn Féin | Thomas McGlinchey | 6.48% | 623 | 623.02 | 635.02 | 638.74 | 652.67 | 679.55 | 679.55 | | |
| | UUP | William Storey | 4.68% | 450 | 451.94 | 467.98 | 467.98 | 474.98 | 488.04 | | | |
| | Socialist Environmental | Eamonn McCann | 3.86% | 371 | 371.18 | 415.22 | 418.94 | 430.89 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Thomas Harty | 3.96% | 381 | 381.12 | 401.12 | 407.63 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Annie Courtney* | 3.84% | 369 | 369.24 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 14,966 Valid: 9,610 (64.21%) Spoilt: 207 Quota: 1,373 Turnout: 9,817 (65.60%) |||||||||||||

## 2001 election

1997: 3 x SDLP, 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP
2001: 3 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin
1997-2001 change: Sinn Féin gain from UUP
Rural - 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 |
| | DUP | William Hay* | 15.37% | 1,511 | | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Annie Courtney* | 14.69% | 1,444 | | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Thomas Conway | 12.96% | 1,274 | 1,304 | 1,304 | 1,550 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Andrew Davidson* | 10.93% | 1,074 | 1,131 | 1,138.07 | 1,141.07 | 1,143.11 | 1,552.11 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Paul Fleming | 9.59% | 943 | 955 | 955 | 985 | 994.52 | 995.52 | 1,574.6 | | | |
| | SDLP | Jim McKeever* | 8.10% | 796 | 822 | 822.07 | 981.07 | 1,100.75 | 1,106.75 | 1,156.43 | 1,266.33 | 1,234.33 | 1,268.68 |
| | DUP | Bill Irwin | 8.94% | 879 | 883 | 968.61 | 970.61 | 970.61 | 1,086.89 | 1,086.89 | 1,087.19 | 1,224.19 | 1,224.37 |
| | Sinn Féin | James Kelly | 6.89% | 677 | 682 | 682 | 698 | 710.24 | 711.24 | | | | |
| | UUP | Ernest Hamilton* | 5.64% | 554 | 560 | 569.66 | 572.66 | 572.66 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Brenda Stevenson | 5.20% | 511 | 519 | 519 | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Brian Kelly | 1.69% | 166 | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 14,567 Valid: 9,829 (67.47%) Spoilt: 222 Quota: 1,405 Turnout: 10,051 (69.00%) ||||||||||||||

## 1997 election

1993: 3 x SDLP, 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP
1997: 3 x SDLP, 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP
1993-1997 change: UUP gain from DUP
Rural - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | SDLP | Annie Courtney* | 15.59% | 1,220 | | | | | | |
| | DUP | William Hay* | 14.12% | 1,105 | 1,121 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | John McNickle* | 12.47% | 976 | 991 | 1,421 | | | | |
| | SDLP | George Peoples* | 9.44% | 739 | 760 | 871 | 1,168.84 | | | |
| | UUP | Andrew Davidson | 10.64% | 833 | 887 | 890 | 890 | 901.31 | 905.87 | 1,212.87 |
| | UUP | Ernest Hamilton | 9.33% | 730 | 751 | 751 | 751 | 754.19 | 757.23 | 1,048.15 |
| | Sinn Féin | Paul Fleming | 9.03% | 707 | 719 | 748 | 749.46 | 833.56 | 874.6 | 874.6 |
| | DUP | Maurice Devenney | 9.47% | 741 | 749 | 749 | 749 | 750.74 | 751.5 | |
| | SDLP | Jim McKeever | 7.01% | 549 | 600 | | | | | |
| | NI Women's Coalition | Catherine Cooke | 2.30% | 180 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | David Hawthorne | 0.61% | 48 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 13,468 Valid: 7,828 (58.12%) Spoilt: 164 Quota: 1,119 Turnout: 7,992 (59.34%) |||||||||||

## 1993 election

1989: 3 x SDLP, 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP
1993: 3 x SDLP, 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP
1989-1993 change: UUP loss due to the reduction of one seat
Rural - 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 | Annie Courtney* | 20.53% | 1,545 | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | John McNickle* | 13.94% | 1,049 | 1,310.76 | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | George Peoples* | 11.22% | 844 | 932.96 | 974.72 | 975.72 | 1,091.72 | | | |
| | UUP | Richard Dallas | 10.50% | 790 | 797.68 | 797.68 | 935.32 | 937.32 | 937.86 | 1,444.86 | |
| | DUP | William Hay* | 11.71% | 881 | 885.48 | 886.35 | 911.67 | 912.67 | 912.94 | 983.26 | 1,156.26 |
| | DUP | Mervyn Lindsay* | 9.25% | 696 | 696.32 | 696.32 | 706.64 | 707.64 | 707.64 | 818.64 | 984.64 |
| | SDLP | Patrick Murray | 5.04% | 379 | 451.32 | 637.21 | 637.53 | 771 | 785.58 | 785.9 | 786.9 |
| | UUP | Ernest Hamilton* | 6.75% | 508 | 510.24 | 510.24 | 706.24 | 707.24 | 707.24 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Bernard McFadden | 5.98% | 450 | 466 | 468.32 | 468.32 | | | | |
| | UUP | George Duddy | 5.09% | 383 | 384.92 | 384.92 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 12,377 Valid: 7,525 (60.80%) Spoilt: 200 Quota: 1,076 Turnout: 7,725 (62.41%) ||||||||||||

## 1989 election

1985: 3 x SDLP, 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP
1989: 3 x SDLP, 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP
1985-1989 change: No change
Rural - 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 |
| | SDLP | Annie Courtney* | 12.90% | 1,117 | | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | William Hay* | 12.45% | 1,078 | 1,159 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | John Adams* | 10.64% | 922 | 995 | 1,007.22 | 1,007.34 | 1,116.34 | | | | |
| | SDLP | John McNickle* | 11.81% | 1,023 | 1,027 | 1,027 | 1,034.98 | 1,034.98 | 1,034.98 | 1,288.98 | | |
| | SDLP | George Peoples | 10.92% | 946 | 947 | 947 | 952.28 | 963.28 | 963.92 | 1,112.92 | | |
| | DUP | Mervyn Lindsay | 7.32% | 634 | 668 | 712.18 | 712.21 | 755.15 | 757.71 | 758.77 | 758.77 | 1,164.77 |
| | UUP | Ernest Hamilton* | 7.34% | 636 | 675 | 678.76 | 678.88 | 966.91 | 995.07 | 996.28 | 1,000.28 | 1,020.28 |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Michael Breslin | 6.28% | 544 | 544 | 544.94 | 546.68 | 547.68 | 548 | 605.73 | 651.73 | 652.73 |
| | DUP | David Nicholl | 5.32% | 461 | 501 | 510.4 | 510.52 | 527.52 | 527.84 | 531.08 | 533.08 | |
| | SDLP | Robert Brolly | 5.76% | 499 | 499 | 500.88 | 516.99 | 516.99 | 516.99 | | | |
| | UUP | Margaret Parkhill | 5.46% | 473 | 484 | 485.88 | 486 | | | | | |
| | Ulster Democratic | Ernest Curry | 3.80% | 329 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 13,344 Valid: 8,662 (64.91%) Spoilt: 211 Quota: 1,084 Turnout: 8,873 (66.49%) |||||||||||||

## 1985 election

1985: 3 x SDLP, 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP
Rural - 7 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 | John McNickle* | 11.54% | 1,004 | 1,016 | 1,040 | 1,042 | 1,146 | | | |
| | DUP | William Hay* | 11.58% | 1,008 | 1,008 | 1,008 | 1,048 | 1,048 | 1,048 | 1,390 | |
| | DUP | Ellis Allen | 9.32% | 811 | 811 | 811 | 841 | 841 | 841 | 1,126 | |
| | UUP | John Adams | 8.89% | 774 | 774 | 775 | 1,045 | 1,048 | 1,048 | 1,076 | 1,174 |
| | UUP | Ernest Hamilton | 7.88% | 686 | 686 | 686 | 853 | 853 | 853 | 928 | 1,088 |
| | SDLP | Annie Courtney | 11.09% | 965 | 969 | 1,028 | 1,029 | 1,071 | 1,078.36 | 1,078.36 | 1,080.36 |
| | SDLP | Hugh O'Neill | 8.02% | 698 | 702 | 801 | 802 | 875 | 910.88 | 915.88 | 915.88 |
| | SDLP | George Peoples* | 7.61% | 662 | 667 | 685 | 688 | 744 | 758.72 | 759.72 | 759.72 |
| | DUP | Mervyn Lindsay | 8.39% | 730 | 731 | 731 | 742 | 742 | 742 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Edward McGowan | 3.49% | 304 | 516 | 565 | 565 | | | | |
| | UUP | Robert Bond* | 6.09% | 530 | 530 | 532 | | | | | |
| | Irish Independence | Michael Breslin | 3.17% | 276 | 285 | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Patrick McNaught | 2.92% | 254 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 12,752 Valid: 8,702 (68.24%) Spoilt: 185 Quota: 1,088 Turnout: 8,887 (69.69%) ||||||||||||