Lower Falls (District Electoral Area)

Lower Falls was one of the nine district electoral areas which existed in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1985 to 2014. Located in the west of the city, the district elected five members to Belfast City Council and contained the wards of Beechmount; Clonard; Falls; Upper Springfield; and Whiterock. Lower Falls formed part of the Belfast West constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament. The district, along with the neighbouring Upper Falls district took its name from the Falls Road, one of the main arterial routes in the west of the city.

Lower Falls
District Electoral Area
Map showing Lower Falls wards within Belfast
Population(2008 Estimate)
District
County
CountryNorthern Ireland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
UK Parliament
NI Assembly

History

Lower Falls was created for the 1985 local elections. The Falls and Clonard wards had previously been in Area F, with the remaining wards part of Area D. It was abolished for the 2014 local elections. The Falls and Clonard wards joined the Court District Electoral Area, while the remaining wards became part of a new Black Mountain District Electoral Area.

Wards
MapWardPopulation
(2011 Census)		CatholicProtestantOtherNo ReligionAreaDensityNI AssemblyUK ParliamentRef
1Beechmount5,48590.8%6.1%0.6%2.5%0.84 km26,530/km2Belfast WestBelfast West[1]
2Clonard4,97590.5%6.4%0.6%2.6%0.61 km28,156/km2Belfast WestBelfast West[2]
3Falls5,18487.6%7.5%2.3%2.6%1.2 km24,320/km2Belfast WestBelfast West[3]
4Upper Springfield5,25093.5%4.6%0.3%1.6%2.5 km22,100/km2Belfast WestBelfast West[4]
5Whiterock5,69493.1%4.7%0.3%1.8%0.78 km27,300/km2Belfast WestBelfast West[5]
Lower Falls26,58891.1%5.8%0.3%1.8%5.93 km24,484 /km2Belfast WestBelfast West

Councillors
Election Councillor
(Party)		 Councillor
(Party)		 Councillor
(Party)		 Councillor
(Party)		 Councillor
(Party)
2011 Tom Hartley
(Sinn Féin)		 Jim McVeigh
(Sinn Féin)		 Steven Corr
(Sinn Féin)		 Janice Austin
(Sinn Féin)		 Colin Keenan
(SDLP)
2005 Marie Moore
(Sinn Féin)		 Máire Cush
(Sinn Féin)		 Fra McCann
(Sinn Féin)
2001 Margaret Walsh
(SDLP)
1997 Seán McKnight
(Sinn Féin)
1993 Mary Muldoon
(SDLP)		 Patsy McGeown
(Sinn Féin)
1989 Elizabeth Fitzsimons
(Sinn Féin)		 Seán McKnight
(Sinn Féin)		 Joe Hendron
(SDLP)
1985 Seán Keenan
(Sinn Féin)		 Will Glendinning
(Alliance)

2011 Election

2005: 5 x Sinn Féin

2011: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP

2005-2011 Change: SDLP gain from Sinn Féin

Lower Falls - 5 seats[6]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
Sinn Féin Janice Austin* 19.66% 1,920        
Sinn Féin Steven Corr 16.10% 1,572 1,583.85 1,603.85 1,618 1,677
Sinn Féin Tom Hartley* 15.99% 1,561 1,566.1 1,581.1 1,602.25 1,666.25
Sinn Féin Jim McVeigh 15.33% 1,497 1,499.7 1,531 1,544.15 1,600.45
SDLP Colin Keenan 10.24% 1,000 1,003.15 1,058.15 1,214.15 1,326.15
Sinn Féin Breige Brownlee 8.33% 813 1,070.7 1,109 1,123 1,188.3
éirígí John McCusker 6.63% 647 647.6 723.6 748.6  
Workers' Party John Lowry 4.08% 398 398.45 430.45    
Irish Republican Socialist Jim Gorman 2.14% 209 209.75      
Socialist Party Pat Lawlor 1.52% 148 148.5      
Electorate: 17,238   Valid: 9,765 (56.65%)   Spoilt: 305   Quota: 1,628   Turnout: 10,070 (58.42%)  

    2005 Election

    2001: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP

    2005: 5 x Sinn Féin

    2001-2005 Change: Sinn Féin gain from SDLP

    Lower Falls - 5 seats[7]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    1234
    Sinn Féin Janice Austin 19.42% 2,071      
    Sinn Féin Fra McCann* 19.17% 2,045      
    Sinn Féin Tom Hartley* 18.39% 1,962      
    Sinn Féin Máire Cush* 15.33% 1,764 1,797    
    Sinn Féin Marie Moore* 11.67% 1,245 1,253 1,528.1 1,764.42
    SDLP Margaret Walsh* 11.86% 1,265 1,439 1,449.95 1,476.27
    Workers' Party John Lowry 2.94% 314      
    Electorate: 16,334   Valid: 10,666 (65.30%)   Spoilt: 392   Quota: 1,778   Turnout: 11,058 (67.70%)  

      2001 Election

      1997: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP

      2001: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP

      1997-2001 Change: No change

      Lower Falls - 5 seats[8]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      12345
      Sinn Féin Fra McCann* 18.97% 2,399        
      Sinn Féin Tom Hartley* 18.59% 2,351        
      Sinn Féin Máire Cush 17.63% 2,230        
      SDLP Margaret Walsh* 15.94% 2,016 2,262      
      Sinn Féin Marie Moore* 15.16% 1,917 1,928 1,955.17 1,977.94 1,996.94
      Sinn Féin Sean McKnight* 9.86% 1,247 1,272 1,521.99 1,735.83 1,761.83
      Workers' Party John Lowry 3.86% 488        
      Electorate: 18,349   Valid: 12,648 (68.93%)   Spoilt: 581   Quota: 2,109   Turnout: 13,229 (72.10%)  

        1997 Election

        1993: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP

        1997: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP

        1993-1997 Change: No change

        Lower Falls - 5 seats[9]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        1234
        Sinn Féin Fra McCann* 19.65% 2,420      
        Sinn Féin Sean McKnight 18.56% 2,286      
        SDLP Margaret Walsh 14.32% 1,764 1,775.4 2,248.7  
        Sinn Féin Tom Hartley* 16.42% 2,022 2,047.05 2,061.05  
        Sinn Féin Marie Moore* 14.70% 1,810 1,822.15 1,829.15 2,033.65
        Sinn Féin Janice Austin 10.34% 1,274 1,581.35 1,606.25 1,625.75
        Workers' Party John Lowry 3.80% 468 468.75    
        SDLP Mary White 1.84% 227 227.9    
        Alliance Keith Jacques 0.37% 45 45.3    
        Electorate: 19,372   Valid: 12,316 (63.58%)   Spoilt: 390   Quota: 2,053   Turnout: 12,706 (65.59%)  

          1993 Election

          1989: 3 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP

          1993: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP

          1989-1993 Change: Sinn Féin gain from SDLP

          Lower Falls - 5 seats[10]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          123456
          Sinn Féin Tom Hartley 19.79% 2,573          
          Sinn Féin Fra McCann* 18.40% 2,393          
          Sinn Féin Patrick McGeown 18.09% 2,352          
          Sinn Féin Marie Moore 14.97% 1,946 2,316.77        
          SDLP Mary Muldoon* 13.45% 1,749 1,760.39 1,832.92 1,929.38 2,030.98 2,325.98
          SDLP Margaret Walsh 7.59% 987 991.93 1,049.44 1,134.77 1,165.97 1,306.48
          Workers' Party John Lowry 6.11% 794 804.37 831.54 874.47 924.07  
          Alliance Patrick Woods 0.83% 108 109.87        
          Democratic Left Mary McMahon 0.78% 101 105.24        
          Electorate: 19,978   Valid: 13,003 (65.09%)   Spoilt: 509   Quota: 2,168   Turnout: 13,512 (67.63%)  

            1989 Election

            1985: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance

            1989: 3 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP

            1985-1989 Change: SDLP gain from Alliance

            Lower Falls - 5 seats[11]
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12345
            SDLP Joe Hendron* 23.51% 2,748        
            Sinn Féin Fra McCann 19.73% 2,307        
            Sinn Féin Elizabeth Fitzsimons* 15.10% 1,765 1,786.7 1,816.25 1,849.69 1,885.5
            Sinn Féin Sean McKnight* 12.22% 1,428 1,461.48 1,466.72 1,750.56 1,774.62
            SDLP Mary Muldoon 5.03% 588 1,196.84 1,257.51 1,261.19 1,738.98
            Sinn Féin Richard May 13.91% 1,626 1,634.68 1,637.68 1,651.92 1,679.45
            Workers' Party Mary McMahon 9.35% 1,093 1,186 1,218.75 1,224.19  
            Alliance Derrick Crothers 1.15% 135 164.45      
            Electorate: 20,095   Valid: 11,690 (58.17%)   Spoilt: 570   Quota: 1,949   Turnout: 12,260 (61.01%)  

              1985 Election

              1985: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance

              Lower Falls - 5 seats[12]
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              1234
              SDLP Joe Hendron* 22.06% 2,606      
              Sinn Féin Sean McKnight 16.41% 1,939 1,963 1,985.4  
              Alliance Will Glendinning* 9.42% 1,113 1,195 1,549.48 2,015.48
              Sinn Féin Sean Keenan 14.83% 1,752 1,764 1,795.36 1,845.2
              Sinn Féin Elizabeth Fitzsimons 13.50% 1,595 1,609 1,649.6 1,697.4
              Sinn Féin Fra McCann 12.42% 1,467 1,472 1,499.44 1,552.4
              Workers' Party Mary McMahon 9.44% 1,115 1,168 1,312.2  
              SDLP Sean Mullan 1.35% 159      
              Communist Desmond Murray 0.57% 67      
              Electorate: 21,058   Valid: 11,813 (56.10%)   Spoilt: 450   Quota: 1,969   Turnout: 12,263 (58.23%)  

                See also

                References
                1. "Ward Information for Beechmount ward 95GG07". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
                2. "Ward Information for Clonard ward 95GG18". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
                3. "Ward Information for Falls ward 95GG21". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
                4. "Ward Information for Upper Springfield ward 95GG46". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
                5. "Ward Information for Whiterock ward 95GG48". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
                6. "Lower Falls Result Sheet" (PDF). EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
                7. "Local Government Results 2005". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
                8. "Local Government Results 2001". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
                9. "Local Government Results 1997". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
                10. "Local Government Results 1993". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
                11. "Local Government Results 1989". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
                12. "Local Government Results 1985". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.

                This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.