# The Skerries (District Electoral Area)

The Skerries was one of the district electoral areas in Coleraine, Northern Ireland which existed from 1985 to 2014, one of three DEAs from 1985 to 1993 and one of four DEAs from 1993 to 2014. The district elected seven members to Coleraine Borough Council until 1993, and five until 2014, and formed part of the East Londonderry constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.
It was created for the 1985 local elections, replacing Coleraine Area B which had existed since 1973, and contained the wards of Atlantic, Dunluce, Hopefield, Knockantern, Portstewart, Royal Portrush and Strand. For the 1993 local elections, it was reduced by two wards, losing the Dunluce area to the new Coleraine East DEA. It was abolished for the 2014 local elections and replaced with the new Causeway DEA.

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) |
| 2011 | Maura Hickey (SDLP) | Christine Alexander (Independent) | Norman Hillis (UUP) | Barney Fitzpatrick (Alliance) | Mark Fielding (DUP) | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 |
| 2005 | Maura Hickey (SDLP) | Christine Alexander (Independent) | Norman Hillis (UUP) | Sandy Gilkinson (DUP) | Robert Stewart (DUP) | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 |
| 2001 | Billy Leonard (SDLP) | Christine Alexander (Independent) | Norman Hillis (UUP) | Pauline Armitage (UUP) | Robert Stewart (DUP) | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 |
| 1997 | Barbara Dempsey (Alliance) | Christine Alexander (Independent) | Norman Hillis (UUP) | Pauline Armitage (UUP) | Robert Stewart (DUP) | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 |
| 1993 | Patrick McGowan (Alliance) | Samuel Kane (UUP) | Norman Hillis (UUP) | Pauline Armitage (UUP) | Robert Stewart (DUP) | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 | 5 seats 1993–2014 |
| 1989 | Patrick McGowan (Alliance) | Elizabeth Black (UUP) | William Glenn (UUP) | Pauline Armitage (UUP) | Robert Stewart (DUP) | | William Creelman (DUP) | | Robert Mitchell (UUP)/ (Independent Unionist) |
| 1985 | Patrick McGowan (Alliance) | Elizabeth Black (UUP) | William Glenn (UUP) | Pauline Armitage (UUP) | Matthew Kane (DUP) | | William Creelman (DUP) | | Robert Mitchell (UUP)/ (Independent Unionist) |

## 2011 Election

2005: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Independent
2011: 1 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Independent
2005-2011 Change: Alliance gain from DUP
The Skerries - 5 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 |
| | Alliance | Barney Fitzpatrick | 15.99% | 635 | 636 | 649 | 676 | | | | |
| | Independent | Christine Alexander* | 14.85% | 590 | 594 | 651 | 670 | | | | |
| | DUP | Mark Fielding | 14.15% | 562 | 572 | 593 | 594 | 594.61 | 618.61 | 823.61 | |
| | UUP | Norman Hillis* | 10.45% | 415 | 424 | 447 | 448 | 448 | 624 | 688 | |
| | SDLP | Maura Hickey* | 8.61% | 342 | 342 | 348 | 534 | 544.98 | 552.98 | 560.98 | 571.98 |
| | Independent | Noel Kennedy | 8.41% | 334 | 352 | 391 | 398 | 399.22 | 423.22 | 431.22 | 466.22 |
| | DUP | Sandy Gilkinson* | 6.65% | 264 | 281 | 299 | 299 | 299 | 324 | | |
| | UUP | Lesley MacAuley | 6.62% | 263 | 267 | 291 | 291 | 291 | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Christopher O'Neill | 6.92% | 275 | 275 | 280 | | | | | |
| | Independent | James Davies | 2.92% | 116 | 117 | | | | | | |
| | UKIP | Adrian Parke | 2.29% | 91 | 105 | | | | | | |
| | TUV | Michael Wiggins | 2.14% | 85 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,167 Valid: 3,972 (48.63%) Spoilt: 62 Quota: 663 Turnout: 4,034 (49.39%) ||||||||||||

## 2005 Election

2001: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Independent
2005: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Independent
2001-2005 Change: DUP gain from UUP
The Skerries - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | Christine Alexander* | 17.99% | 846 | | | | | |
| | DUP | Robert Stewart* | 16.44% | 773 | 778 | 779 | 786.92 | | |
| | UUP | Norman Hillis* | 14.82% | 697 | 733 | 737 | 749.72 | 1,065.72 | |
| | SDLP | Maura Hickey | 8.89% | 418 | 441 | 698 | 706.08 | 718.56 | 734.56 |
| | DUP | Sandy Gilkinson | 11.68% | 549 | 557 | 557 | 561.72 | 634.2 | 733.2 |
| | Alliance | Barney Fitzpatrick | 9.68% | 455 | 500 | 540 | 560.16 | 613.88 | 706.88 |
| | UUP | Stephen Barr | 9.57% | 450 | 477 | 479 | 486.76 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Valerie Leonard | 7.49% | 352 | 356 | | | | |
| | Independent | Barbara Dempsey | 3.45% | 162 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,162 Valid: 4,702 (57.61%) Spoilt: 65 Quota: 784 Turnout: 4,767 (58.40%) ||||||||||

## 2001 Election

1997: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent
2001: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Independent
1997-2001 Change: SDLP gain from Alliance
The Skerries - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | SDLP | Billy Leonard | 18.41% | 988 | | | | |
| | DUP | Robert Stewart* | 12.58% | 675 | 943 | | | |
| | UUP | Norman Hillis* | 11.65% | 625 | 642 | 643.76 | 961.76 | |
| | UUP | Pauline Armitage* | 13.59% | 729 | 753 | 754.32 | 859.98 | 910.73 |
| | Independent | Christine Alexander* | 14.11% | 757 | 763 | 782.69 | 842.13 | 851.13 |
| | Alliance | Barbara Dempsey* | 12.69% | 681 | 686 | 751.89 | 776.66 | 782.66 |
| | UUP | Samuel Kane | 10.29% | 552 | 565 | 567.53 | | |
| | DUP | Sandy Gilkinson | 6.69% | 359 | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,800 Valid: 5,366 (60.98%) Spoilt: 85 Quota: 895 Turnout: 5,451 (61.94%) |||||||||

## 1997 Election

1993: 3 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
1997: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent
1993-1997 Change: Independent gain from UUP
The Skerries - 5 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 | Pauline Armitage* | 19.04% | 841 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Christine Alexander | 17.75% | 784 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Norman Hillis* | 10.64% | 470 | 477 | 534.6 | 543.12 | 570.26 | 586.4 | 876.4 | |
| | DUP | Robert Stewart* | 10.12% | 447 | 450 | 453.84 | 457.68 | 662.52 | 666.06 | 786.06 | |
| | Alliance | Barbara Dempsey | 8.13% | 359 | 362 | 368.84 | 379.04 | 383.34 | 603.66 | 625.92 | 672.92 |
| | SDLP | Patricia Farren | 11.00% | 486 | 486 | 486.24 | 492.36 | 493.48 | 537.5 | 539.8 | 540.8 |
| | UUP | Samuel Kane* | 9.62% | 425 | 444 | 462.6 | 468.36 | 489.08 | 501.44 | | |
| | Alliance | Patrick McGowan* | 6.79% | 300 | 300 | 304.68 | 308.76 | 309.76 | | | |
| | DUP | James Milliken | 5.86% | 259 | 264 | 268.68 | 271.02 | | | | |
| | Ind. Unionist | Thomas Mackay | 1.04% | 46 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,975 Valid: 4,417 (49.21%) Spoilt: 92 Quota: 737 Turnout: 4,509 (50.24%) ||||||||||||

## 1993 Election

1993: 3 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
The Skerries - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | DUP | Robert Stewart* | 20.89% | 909 | | | |
| | Alliance | Patrick McGowan* | 19.60% | 853 | | | |
| | UUP | Pauline Armitage* | 17.74% | 772 | | | |
| | UUP | Samuel Kane | 12.50% | 544 | 582.22 | 585.58 | 732.71 |
| | UUP | Norman Hillis | 11.72% | 510 | 544.23 | 550.79 | 727.56 |
| | Alliance | Kate Condy | 9.56% | 416 | 419.57 | 525.65 | 553.36 |
| | NI Conservatives | Robert Mitchell* | 5.74% | 250 | 268.27 | 275.47 | |
| | DUP | Siobhan Watterson | 2.25% | 98 | 185.15 | 185.95 | |
| Electorate: 8,857 Valid: 4,352 (49.14%) Spoilt: 123 Quota: 726 Turnout: 4,475 (50.53%) ||||||||

## 1989 Election

1985: 4 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
1989: 3 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent Unionist
1985-1989 Change: Independent Unionist leaves UUP
The Skerries - 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 |
| | UUP | Pauline Armitage* | 13.53% | 840 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Elizabeth Black* | 12.35% | 767 | 795.42 | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Patrick McGowan* | 7.95% | 494 | 496.59 | 553.66 | 834.66 | | | | |
| | DUP | William Creelman* | 11.66% | 724 | 727.22 | 734.22 | 735.22 | 736.12 | 845.12 | | |
| | UUP | William Glenn* | 11.66% | 658 | 673.12 | 678.19 | 685.54 | 695.74 | 716.02 | 936.02 | |
| | DUP | Robert Stewart | 6.49% | 403 | 403.63 | 408.63 | 409.63 | 409.63 | 611.81 | 714.39 | 771.39 |
| | Ind. Unionist | Robert Mitchell* | 8.20% | 509 | 511.1 | 520.1 | 533.1 | 547.8 | 574.94 | 666.77 | 741.77 |
| | SDLP | Sean Farren | 7.76% | 482 | 482.21 | 537.21 | 559.21 | 584.71 | 584.71 | 588.01 | 589.01 |
| | UUP | Thomas Peacock | 6.96% | 432 | 435.99 | 443.06 | 447.06 | 450.96 | 469.96 | | |
| | DUP | Eric Stewart | 6.10% | 379 | 379.77 | 384.77 | 384.77 | 385.97 | | | |
| | Alliance | Kate Condy | 5.10% | 317 | 317.49 | 346.49 | | | | | |
| | Labour Party NI | Roberta Woods | 2.16% | 134 | 134.21 | | | | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Malcolm Samuels | 1.14% | 71 | 71 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 11,940 Valid: 6,210 (52.01%) Spoilt: 149 Quota: 777 Turnout: 6,359 (53.26%) ||||||||||||

## 1985 Election

1985: 4 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
The Skerries - 7 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 Creelman* | 16.76% | 1,056 | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | William Glenn* | 10.76% | 678 | 693 | 693.25 | 714.5 | 719.5 | 733 | 806 | | | |
| | Alliance | Patrick McGowan* | 8.63% | 544 | 545.25 | 553.25 | 555.25 | 739.25 | 740.25 | 758.25 | 799.25 | | |
| | UUP | Elizabeth Black | 10.00% | 630 | 636.5 | 638.5 | 648.5 | 655.75 | 659.5 | 725 | 795 | | |
| | DUP | Matthew Kane* | 4.68% | 295 | 362 | 364 | 379 | 380 | 581 | 600 | 633 | 973 | |
| | UUP | Pauline Armitage | 8.22% | 518 | 522.5 | 523.5 | 532.5 | 535.5 | 538.5 | 570.75 | 737.25 | 790.25 | |
| | UUP | Robert Mitchell* | 4.87% | 307 | 311.5 | 312.5 | 381.75 | 385.75 | 396 | 500.75 | 563.75 | 635.25 | 772.25 |
| | SDLP | Sean Farren | 9.09% | 573 | 573.5 | 587.5 | 587.5 | 591.5 | 591.5 | 591.5 | 593 | 593 | 594 |
| | DUP | Robert Stewart | 5.94% | 374 | 397.5 | 397.5 | 415.25 | 418.25 | 477.75 | 496 | 523.75 | | |
| | UUP | Hugh Stewart | 6.00% | 378 | 386 | 386 | 400.5 | 401.5 | 408.75 | 421.25 | | | |
| | UUP | Albert Clarke* | 5.06% | 319 | 322.25 | 322.25 | 348.25 | 352.25 | 355.25 | | | | |
| | DUP | Roy Hilldrup | 2.78% | 175 | 301.5 | 301.5 | 306.5 | 307.5 | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Peter Scott | 3.25% | 205 | 205.25 | 215.25 | 227.25 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | William Robinson | 3.25% | 205 | 206.75 | 207.75 | | | | | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Margaret O'Neill | 0.70% | 44 | 44.25 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 11,156 Valid: 6,301 (56.48%) Spoilt: 113 Quota: 788 Turnout: 6,414 (57.49%) ||||||||||||||