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Westminster General Election (NI) - Thursday 3 May 1979


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Westminster General Election (NI)
Thursday 3 May 1979

Introduction

The following are the (draft) results from the 12 Northern Ireland constituencies where the 1979 Westminster General Election was contested on Thursday 3 May 1979.

Summary of Results

Electorate:
Valid votes cast: 695,987
Spoiled votes: 7,512
Percentage poll:

Party
Number of Seats
Vote
% Valid Poll
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
6
254,578
36.6%
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)
1
126,325
18.2%
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI)
0
82,892
11.9%
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
3
70,975
10.2%
United Ulster Unionist Party (UUUP))
0
39,856
5.7%
Independent Unionist (Ind U)
1
36,989
5.3%
Irish Independence Party (IIP)
0
23,086
3.3
Independent Nationalist (Ind N)
0
22,398
3.2%
Republican Clubs (Rep C)
0
12,098
1.7%
Independent SDLP (Ind SDLP)
0
10,785
1.6%
Unionist Party of Northern Ireland (UPNI)
0
8,021
1.2%
Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP)
0
4,411
0.6%
Others
1
3,573
0.5%

Constituency Results

The results for each of the 12 constituencies contain the following information:
Name of constituency
Name of candidate (Party) Number of votes
Party majority: Electorate: Turnout: (%)


North Antrim
Paisley, Ian (Democratic Unionist Party) 33,941
Burchill, J. (Ulster Unionist Party) 15,398
Wilson, H. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 7,797
Farren, S. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 4,897
Turnly, J. (Irish Independence party) 3,689

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) majority:18,543; Electorate: 102,224; Turnout: 62.6%


South Antrim
Molyneaux, J. (Ulster Unionist Party) 50,782
Kinahan, C. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 11,914
Rowan, P. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 7,432
Kidd, R. (United Labour Paarty) 1,895
Smyth, K. (Republican Clubs) 1,615

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 38,868; Electorate: 126,493; Turnout 58.8%


Belfast East
Robinson, P. (Democratic Unionist Party) 15,994
Craig, W. (Ulster Unionist Party) 15,930
Napier, O. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 15,066
Agnew, N. (Unionist Party of Northern Ireland) 2,017
Cunning, W. (Independent) 741
Chambers, G. (Northern Ireland Labour Party) 1,982

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) majority: 64; Electorate: 75,496; Turnout: 67.6%


Belfast North
McQuade, J. (Democratic Unionist Party) 11,690
Walker, C. (Ulster Unionist Party) 10,695
O'Hare, P. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 7,823
Dickson, A. (Unionist Party of Northern Ireland) 4,220
Cushnahan, J. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 4,120
Lynch, S. (Republican Clubs) 1,907
Carr, A. (Northern Ireland Labour Party) 1,889

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) majority: 995; Electorate: 65,099; Turnout: 66.0%)


Belfast South
Bradford, Rev. R. (Ulster Unionist Party) 28,875
Glass, B. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland)11,745
McDonnell, A. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 3,694
Brennan, V. (Unionist Party of Northern Ireland) 1,784
Dudgeon, J (Lab. Integrationist) 856

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 17,130; Electorate: 68,946; Turnout: 68.0%


Belfast West
Fitt, Gerry (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 16,480
Passmore, T. (Ulster Unionist Party) 8,245
Dickson, W. (Democratic Unionist Party) 3,716
Brennan, B. (Republican Clubs) 2,282
Cousins, J. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 2,024
Peters, D. (Northern Ireland Labour Party) 540

Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) majority: 8,235; Electorate: 58,915; Turnout: 60.4%


North Down
Kilfedder, James (Independent Unionist) 36,989
Jones, K. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 13,364
Smyth, C. (Ulster Unionist Party) 11,728

Independent Unionist (Ind.U) majority: 23,625; Electorate: 99,889; Turnout: 66.4%


South Down
Powell, Enoch (Ulster Unionist Party) 32,254
McGrady, E. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 24,033
Forde, P. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 4,407
Markey, J. (Irish Independence Party) 1,853
O'Hagan, D. (Republican Clubs) 1,682
Rice, S. (Independent) 216
Courtney, P. (Reform) 31

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 8,221; Electorate:89,597; Turnout: 72.0%


Londonderry
Ross, William (Ulster Unionist Party) 31,592
Logue, H. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 19,185
McClure, J. (Democratic Unionist Party) 12,207
Barr, A. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 5,830
Mc Ateer, F. (Irish Independence Party) 5,489
Melaugh, E. (Republican Clubs) 888
Webster, B. (Derry Labour) 639

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 12,407; Electorate: 67.6; Turnout: (67.6%)


Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Maguire, F. (Independent) 22,398
Ferguson, R. (Ulster Unionist Party) 17,411
Currie, A. (Ind. Social Democratic and Labour Party) 10,785
Baird, E. (United Ulster Unionist Party) 10,607
Acheson, P. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 1,070

Independent (Ind) majority: 4,987; Electorate: 71,541; Turnout: (88.9%)


Mid Ulster
Dunlop, J. (Ulster Unionist Party) 29,249
Duffy, P. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 19,266
Fahy, P. (Irish Independence Party) 12,055
Lagan, A. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 3,481
Donnelly, F. (Republican Clubs) 1,141

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 9,983; Electorate: 81,499; Turnout: (80.9%)


Armagh
McCusker, H (Ulster Unionist Party) 31,668
Mallon, S. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 23,545
Calvert, D. (Democratic Unionist Party) 5,634
Moore, T. (Republican Clubs) 2,310
McAllister, J. (Sinn Féin) 9,928
Ramsay, W. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 2,074

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 8,123; Electorate: 93,097; Turnout: (70.9%)

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