Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland in 1981, contesting 526 seats in all.
Results
Overall PartyLocal Government Elections 1981, Northern Ireland Elections Councillors Votes Total +/- % share Total 142+6826.6176,816 151-2526.4175,965 104-917.5116,487 38-328.959,397 37-56.744,427 21N/A3.925,859The Workers' Party Republican Clubs3-31.812,059 6-41.28,219 5N/A1.27,817 5-70.74,962 2N/A0.74,734 2-40.74,478 2N/A0.53,654 100.53,563 1N/A0.53,057New Ulster Political Research1N/A0.42,989Independent Loyalist2+10.31,935Independent Socialist1+10.31,884Newtownabbey Labour1N/A0.21,113Labour League0N/A0.1924Social Alliance0N/A0.1898 100.1832United Democratic0N/A0.1692Trade Union Campaign0N/A0.1439Independent Alliance0N/A0.1323 000.0247 000.0201Unionist Unity000.0196 000.0194 000.0142Independent SDLP000.085Social Reform Party000.034United British Ulster Peoples Party000.028
By council Antrim Antrim A Party Candidate 1st Pref James Graham1,293 Robert Loughran603 John Heffron537 Wilson Clyde533 Gerard Carolan429 Frew Rainey381 Desmond McAteer339 Jack Blakely207 James Totten164 James McConnell113 Stewart Dunlop91 Mary Marshall76Turnout4,901John Heffron joins IIPSDLP gain from Independent
Antrim BAntrim District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Thomas Wallace688 James Cunningham684 Robert Burns638 Roy Thompson587 Allister Lucas554 Thomas Grant398 Alexander Wilson252 John McCourt195 George Luke134Turnout4,251SDLP gain from Alliance
Antrim C Party Candidate 1st Pref Samuel Dunlop1,719 Paddy Marks1,182 Jack Allen961 Charles Quinn615Antrim Labour LeagueJohn Gibbons562 Michael Donoghue531 Charles Kinahan465 Mary Wallace266Antrim Tenants' AssociationPhilip Henry243 Hugh Johnston204Turnout6,984DUP gain from UUP
Ards Ards AArds District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Gladys McIntyre1,034 Patrick Doherty942 Joseph Thompson917 Oliver Johnston875 Jim Shannon741 Robert Ambrose609 John Scott545 James McMullan808 William Sheldon427 William Caughey609 Alan Burnside337 James Kennett259 David Hamilton209 Michael Long112 Frances Millar100Turnout8,162DUP gain from UUPUPUP gain from Alliance
Ards B Party Candidate 1st Pref Hugh Boyd1,681 Robert Gaw1,310 Hugh Gibson1,005 Owen Dorrian784 John Elliott670 Robert Brown508 James Murray468 Robert Hamilton458 Hugh Patton383 Hugh Yeaman360 James Murphy270 Edward McLoughlin166 William Speers162 John Gray114Turnout8,649DUP gain from UUPUPUP gain from Alliance
Ards C Party Candidate 1st Pref Thomas Gourley1,479 Hamilton McKeag1,082 John Hamilton752 Thomas McBriar526 Kathleen Coulter348 Gordon Brown334 John Shields311 James Middleton237 Robert McKee222 James Caughey213 Shirley McWhinney124 Thomas Adair20Turnout5,816DUP gain from Independent
Armagh Armagh A Party Candidate 1st Pref Ronald Allen938 Douglas Hutchinson878 Francis McIlvanna781 Samuel Foster610 Francis Kernan593 Norman Kerr244 Robert Cummings74Turnout4,296No change
Armagh B Party Candidate 1st Pref Jim Speers1,931 Seamus Mallon1,394 William McClelland1,092 Thomas Black917 Robert Turner742 Thomas Johnston733 Francis Little732 John Alexander561 Mervyn Spratt459 Frederick Hamilton59Turnout8,780No change
Armagh C Party Candidate 1st Pref Patrick Fegan980 Jim Nicholson962 James McKernan933 Joseph McBride705 Joseph Dunleavy690 Patrick Agnew493 Eleanor Boyd450 Peter McSorley370Turnout5,790DUP gain from UUP
Armagh DArmagh District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Frederick Armstrong1,173 Barney McManus1,011 Pat Brannigan807 Letitia McClenaghan653 Anthony Agnew617 Gerald Grimley568 George MacCartney393 Norman Creswell243Armagh Labour Party Carson Greer134Turnout5,827No change
Ballymena Ballymena A Party Candidate 1st Pref Desmond Armstrong964 James Woulahan824 John Armstrong823 James McKay640 Samuel Hanna583 James Millar410Turnout4,365No change
Ballymena B Party Candidate 1st Pref Roy Gillespie1,254 Sandy Spence981 John Greer853 Thomas Nicholl740 Hubert Nicholl740 Hugh Simpson537 William Wright464 Robert Nelson413 Thomas Smyth402 John Sutter271Turnout6,771Hugh Simpson joins UUPUUP gain from Independent
Ballymena C Party Candidate 1st Pref Roy West1,082 Martin Clarke978 Charles Maternaghan825 John McAuley825 William Brownlees815 William Simpson694 William McConnell243 Ernest Johnston108Turnout5,713DUP gain from Independent UnionistUUP gain from United Ratepayers
Ballymena DBallymena District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Patrick Burke1,331 Maurice Mills1,113 James Alexander898 Samuel Henry790 Robert Maternaghan758 Gordon Wilson547 Kenneth Hood501 James Rainey395 Samuel Barr241Turnout6,604DUP gain from Alliance
Ballymoney Ballymoney A Party Candidate 1st Pref Robert Halliday575 Hugh McFarland516 James Patterson484 Kenneth Bamford404 Robert Wilson403 Adam Taylor188 Olive Craig146Turnout2,757Alliance gain from UUP
Ballymoney B Party Candidate 1st Pref Charles Steele791 Hugh Boyle615 William Gracey474 Bertie McIlhatton298 Joe Gaston596 William Logan362 Edward McClements351 Harry Connolly335 Mary Ellis278 John Mulholland271 Samuel Bartlett261 Margaret Donnelly212 Malachy McCamphill97Turnout5,063DUP gain from UUP and SDLP
Ballymoney CBallymoney District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Cecil Cousley747 Ralph Strong538 Mary Holmes567 Robert McComb353 Brendan Smyth352 James Simpson328 Thomas McKenna152Turnout3,102DUP gain from Alliance and Independent Unionist
Banbridge Banbridge ABanbridge District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref James Walsh1,092 Wilson Davidson939 Wilfred McFadden907 Laurence McCartan865 Norman Ferguson684 Samuel Cowan682 Kenneth McElroy573 Hugh Anderson538 Gareth Bennett499 Irene Todd422 Raymond Armstrong278 Mildred McDowell161 Herbert Plunkett151Independent SDLPMargaret McStraw318Turnout8,135DUP gain from Independent Unionist
Banbridge B Party Candidate 1st Pref Patrick McAvoy1,125 Brian Biggerstaff750 Raymond McCullough709 Matthew Bailey589 George Gamble525 Herbert Heslip493 David Herron472 Robert Hill445 Robert McIlroy445 Eric Williamson380 Robert Barr366Dromore Action CommitteeThompson Howe280 Robert McGregor273 Ebenezer Mulligan104Turnout7,128No change
Belfast Belfast AThe Local Government Elections 1973–1981: Belfast, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref John Foster3,333 Jeremy Burchill2,589 Raymond McCrea2,345 Grace Bannister2,055 Sammy Wilson1,479 Donnell Deeny1,439 Alasdair McDonnell1,262 Billy Blair900 Mervyn Jones766 T. Wilkins544 Frank Cullen418 P. T. McGrourty410 D. Peters276 Ben Horan187 John McKeague99 James Stewart97Turnout19,133DUP gain from AllianceUUP gain from SDLP
Belfast B Party Candidate 1st Pref Oliver Napier2,631 Henry Evans2,513 Joshua Cardwell2,327 Bill Morrison2,152 Tommy Patton2,083 William Corry1,733 Michael Brown1,602 S. Foster1,464 Dorothy Dunlop1,248 A. Greer979 S. G. Coulson647 D. McKee548New Ulster Political ResearchD. P. Scott434 Peter Prendiville236Turnout21,838DUP gain from UUP
Belfast C Party Candidate 1st Pref David Cook2,493 Mary Crooks2,099 Andrew Cairns1,933 Brian Gibson1,503 Ben Caraher1,501 J. J. Dixon Gilmore1,326 William Stevenson1,214 Muriel Pritchard1,158 B. Jeffrey913 T. McIntyre729 Victor Brennan532 G. Carr530Turnout16,460DUP gain from Alliance and UPNI
Belfast D Party Candidate 1st Pref Joe Hendron4,291 John McNulty2,781 Cormac Boomer2,070 SocialistPaddy Devlin1,343 Mary McMahon1,125 Gerry Kelly957 W. J. Browning822 Dan McGuinness725 Mary Muldoon636 J. Hand538 K. Smyth438 Anne McElroy346 L. Hunter167 R. Turkington137Turnout17,436Paddy Devlin leaves SDLPPeople's Democracy gain from Republican ClubsIRSP gain from Alliance
Belfast E Party Candidate 1st Pref George Haffrey4,142 Billy Bell3,105 George Seawright1,989 Hugh Smyth1,931New Ulster Political ResearchSammy Doyle1,135 Laurence Kennedy1,070 A. H. Egerton1,011Unionist DemocracyFred Proctor692 Alban Maginness618 J. Sands386 Alfie Ferguson367 P. Hunter321 J. Weir311 Peter Emerson202 Margaret McNulty177Turnout18,081Hugh Smyth joins PUPDUP gain from Alliance
Belfast F Party Candidate 1st Pref Billy Dickson1,913 Sean Flynn1,639 J. Sullivan1,002 Eric Smyth952 Owen Allen898 Will Glendinning844 James Stewart719 H. G. Fitzmaurice719 L. Cust638 H. Fletcher621 Mary Smyth389 T. Lappin227 Paul Maguire215Turnout11,428DUP gain from UUPIRSP gain from Republican Clubs
Belfast G Party Candidate 1st Pref Frederick Ashby1,913 Fergus O'Hare1,953New Ulster Political ResearchSammy Millar1,420 Cecil Walker1,173 Seamus Lynch750 Brian Feeney749 Herbert Ditty595 SocialistGerry Fitt541 Joseph Coggle392 P. J. McGarry313Turnout10,336DUP gain from AlliancePeople's Democracy gain from Republican Clubs NUPRG gain from UUP
Belfast H Party Candidate 1st Pref John Carson5,014 Paschal O'Hare3,057 William Annon3,010 Frank Millar1,848 John Cushnahan1,739 Alan Carr1,000 Alban Maginness818 William Gault813 L. McK. Clarke553 R. O. Jamison531 David Overend503 Pauline Strong466 Raymond Trimble408Turnout20,480DUP gain from Alliance
Carrickfergus Carrick A Party Candidate 1st PrefUnited LoyalistCharles Johnston819 William Haggan559 Joan Tomlin512 Samuel Irvine504 Mary Ardill458 Anne Dickson353 Stewart Dickson208 Ernest Burton188 Robert Gordon145 Mary Anderson133Turnout3,977Charles Johnston leaves UUUCDUP gain from UUP and Alliance
Carrick B Party Candidate 1st Pref William Cross748 Hugh McLean701 James Brown588 Patrick Conway446 William Knox359 Charles Hilditch307 Steven Watters249 Alice Bateman231 Robert Wilson122 Henry Cardwell105 Richard Hopkins85Turnout4,074DUP gain from Alliance
Carrick CCarrickfergus District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Ken McFaul1,572 Sean Neeson663 Samuel Murphy526 Samuel Stewart353 William McKeown241 Elizabeth Carson230 Jim Strange167 Robert Hunter159 John Haslett155 Arthur McQuitty106 Edwin Cummings30Turnout4,367Samuel Murphy leaves UPNIDUP gain from UUP
Castlereagh Castlereagh A Party Candidate 1st Pref Ernest Harper1,555 John Glass1,104 William Clulow1,056 Frederick Kane865 Philip Grosse749 Samuel Finlay573 Bryan Milford548 John Hillis543 Ann Smith502 James Lowe438 John Moore420 Robin Newton379Turnout8,980Ernest Harper joins DUPIndependent gain from Alliance
Castlereagh BCastlereagh District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Roy Allen3,098 Alan Carson987 William Ward912 Matthew Anderson784 Felicity Boyd742 Leslie Farrington741 Adam Morrow725 John Gilpin444 Amy McKeown383 Wesley Boyle347 John Lamont277 Michael Brooks194 Samuel Pyper124 James Bate76 William Gunning65 William Copley28LoyalistAnnetta Hynes11Turnout10,334DUP gain from Independent Unionist and Alliance
Castlereagh C Party Candidate 1st Pref Peter Robinson3,562 Patricia Archer1,048 Herbert Johnstone990 Bryan Davidson493 Walter McFarland411 Cedric Wilson38 Denny Vitty35Turnout6,836DUP gain from UUP and Alliance
Coleraine Coleraine AColeraine District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref John Dallat1,061 Gerard O'Kane901 William King864 Thomas Malone Jr.783 William Watt705 George McIlrath690 Robert Catherwood680 James Anderson446 Mayne Long395 Irwin Holmes366 Anne Lambert117Turnout7,187DUP gain from Independent UnionistSDLP gain from UUP
Coleraine B Party Candidate 1st Pref William Creelman1,119 William Glenn674 Sean Farren658 Albert Clarke630 Matthew Kane540 Robert Mitchell493 Patrick McGowan453 Elizabeth Connolly423 John Earl333 William Sweeney309 Peter Scott293 Thomas Henry291 Roy Hilldrup272 Malcolm Samuel61Turnout6,715DUP gain from Independent and SDLP