# Magherafelt Area A

Magherafelt Area A was one of the three district electoral areas in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland which existed from 1973 to 1985. The district elected five members to Magherafelt District Council, and formed part of the Mid Ulster constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.
It was created for the 1973 local elections, and contained the wards of Draperstown, Lower Glenshane, Maghera, Swatragh and Tobermore. It was abolished for the 1985 local elections and replaced by the Sperrin DEA.

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) |
| 1981 | John Linton (DUP) | Mary McSorley (SDLP) | Patrick Sweeney (SDLP) | Francis McKendry (SDLP) | Noel McCusker (Independent Republican) |
| 1977 | Francis Thompson (UUP) | John Henning (UUP) | Patrick Sweeney (SDLP) | Philip Bradley (SDLP) | Francis Donnelly (Republican Clubs) |
| 1973 | David Campbell (UUP) | P. J. Heron (SDLP) | Patrick Sweeney (SDLP) | Philip Bradley (SDLP) | Francis Donnelly (Republican Clubs) |

## 1981 Election

1977: 2 x SDLP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Republican Clubs
1981: 3 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Independent Republican
1977-1981 Change: SDLP, DUP and Independent Republican gain from UUP (two seats) and Republican Clubs
Magherafelt Area A - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Ind. Republican | Noel McCusker | 25.13% | 1,597 | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Mary McSorley | 14.48% | 920 | 993.08 | 1,032.4 | 1,032.4 | 1,247.4 | | |
| | SDLP | Patrick Sweeney* | 11.10% | 705 | 960.24 | 976.64 | 984.64 | 1,012.12 | 1,090.92 | |
| | DUP | John Linton | 12.95% | 823 | 823.36 | 824.36 | 981.72 | 987.44 | 987.44 | 995.44 |
| | SDLP | Francis McKendry | 7.22% | 459 | 520.56 | 528.8 | 529.8 | 683.84 | 781.17 | 967.17 |
| | UUP | John Henning* | 8.95% | 569 | 569.36 | 573.36 | 759.36 | 760.36 | 760.36 | 773.36 |
| | Republican Clubs | Francis Donnelly* | 5.18% | 329 | 390.56 | 545.24 | 548.24 | 566.56 | 577.68 | |
| | SDLP | Patrick McBride | 6.34% | 403 | 417.76 | 436.52 | 436.52 | | | |
| | Ind. Unionist | Francis Thompson* | 5.65% | 359 | 359.56 | 361.36 | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Geraldine Crilly | 2.16% | 137 | 166.88 | | | | | |
| | Ind. Republican | Peter Merron | 0.83% | 53 | 87.2 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,247 Valid: 6,354 (87.68%) Spoilt: 129 Quota: 1,060 Turnout: 6,483 (89.46%) |||||||||||

## 1977 Election

1973: 3 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Republican Clubs
1977: 2 x SDLP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Republican Clubs
1973-1977 Change: UUP gain from SDLP
Magherafelt Area A - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | SDLP | Philip Bradley* | 24.87% | 1,243 | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Francis Donnelly* | 11.20% | 560 | 619.4 | 682.76 | 844.92 | | |
| | UUP | Francis Thompson | 13.07% | 653 | 653 | 654 | 654 | 654 | 927 |
| | SDLP | Patrick Sweeney* | 13.81% | 690 | 789 | 806.08 | 830.32 | 832.48 | 832.48 |
| | UUP | John Henning | 13.13% | 656 | 656.72 | 656.72 | 656.72 | 657.08 | 827.24 |
| | SDLP | Francis McKendry | 9.10% | 455 | 674.24 | 676.24 | 689.92 | 692.44 | 693.52 |
| | DUP | Phyllis Charlton | 8.98% | 449 | 455.12 | 455.12 | 455.12 | 455.12 | |
| | Republican Clubs | Kevin Murphy | 3.86% | 193 | 213.52 | 225.88 | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Peter Merron | 1.98% | 99 | 100.8 | | | | |
| Electorate: 6,853 Valid: 4,998 (72.93%) Spoilt: 285 Quota: 834 Turnout: 5,283 (77.09%) ||||||||||

## 1973 Election

1973: 3 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Republican Clubs
Magherafelt Area A - 5 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 |
| | SDLP | P. J. Heron | 20.42% | 1,168 | | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Patrick Sweeney | 9.37% | 536 | 550.76 | 565.76 | 581.94 | 619.48 | 633.84 | 874.58 | 928.76 | ???? | |
| | Republican Clubs | Francis Donnelly | 5.94% | 340 | 341.62 | 357.62 | 396.62 | 398.8 | 399.8 | 412.16 | 632.34 | ???? | |
| | UUP | David Campbell | 14.90% | 852 | 852.54 | 854.54 | 854.54 | 873.54 | 944.54 | 944.54 | 945.54 | ???? | ???? |
| | SDLP | Philip Bradley | 9.20% | 526 | 686.36 | 709.28 | 711.28 | 722 | 725 | 756.86 | 768.04 | ???? | ???? |
| | UUP | Esmond Thompson | 13.18% | 754 | 754 | 754 | 754 | 779 | 890 | 892 | 893 | ???? | ???? |
| | Republican Clubs | J. Convery | 7.01% | 401 | 414.5 | 426.5 | 435.5 | 437.68 | 437.68 | 443.76 | 535.12 | | |
| | Republican Clubs | W. Gribben | 5.63% | 322 | 322.54 | 330.72 | 370.72 | 377.72 | 380.9 | 387.9 | | | |
| | SDLP | Bridget McKeown | 4.62% | 264 | 277.14 | 278.14 | 284.5 | 303.22 | 308.4 | | | | |
| | Independent | R. W. Shiels | 3.25% | 186 | 186.54 | 190.54 | 190.54 | 221.72 | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Andrew Davidson | 2.80% | 160 | 162.52 | 166.52 | 166.52 | | | | | | |
| | Republican Clubs | Peter Merron | 1.87% | 107 | 107.54 | 113.54 | | | | | | | |
| | Unity | Kevin Agnew | 1.82% | 104 | 105.26 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,097 Valid: 5,720 (80.60%) Spoilt: 122 Quota: 954 Turnout: 5,842 (82.32%) ||||||||||||||
* Data missing from stages 9 and 10