Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland in May 1977. 526 councillors were elected.
The elections saw good performances by the four largest parties: the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), Alliance Party of Northern Ireland and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), while smaller parties failed to make a breakthrough. The DUP took control of their first council, Ballymena, while the UUP retained control of Banbridge. The SDLP lost control of Magherafelt, their only council."Four main parties do well", Irish Times, 20 May 1977
Results
Overall PartyLocal Government Elections 1977, Northern Ireland Elections Councillors Votes Total +/- % share Total 176-1830.0166,971 113+3120.6114,775 70+714.480,282 74+5312.870,670 42-107.642,841 12N/A2.815,831 6-22.614,277 6N/A2.513,691 10-161.79,202 5-51.58,135 2-41.05,528 1-30.84,960 400.52,836 Loyalist2-140.32,534 Community1-20.31,731British Ulster Dominion0N/A0.1644United Ratepayer1N/A0.1635 1+10.1484 Ratepayer000.1321 000.0227 000.0115 Socialist0N/A0.0107
By council Antrim Antrim A Party Candidate 1st Pref James Graham1,018 John Heffron679 Gerard Berry542 Stewart Dunlop499 James Marrion365 James Brown360 John McKeever290 Patrick Gribben225 Samuel Getty168 Moira Marshall91Turnout4,400No change
Antrim BAntrim District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Thomas Wallace459 James Cunningham446 John McCourt394 George Dundas306 William Jones270 Allister Lucas266 Alexander Wilson245 George Luke236 John Patterson217Turnout2,966DUP gain from UUP
Antrim C Party Candidate 1st Pref Charles Kinahan825 Jack Allen801 Samuel Dunlop540 Samuel McCombe416 James Craig323 Florence McLernon301 James Clarke299 William McCormick282 Peter Neish271 Eileen Lagan219 David Gregg136 Liam McCabe116 Martin Hanna82 Samuel Ferson69Turnout4,897DUP gain from Vanguard
Ards Ards AArds District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Charles Dunleath1,339 Joseph Thompson981 Patrick Doherty964 Oliver Johnston460 William Caughey451 John Scott446 Michael Long371 James McMullan313 Henry Cosbey308 Robert Ambrose287 William Sheldon190 William Keag158 Francis McMaster128Independent Protestant LoyalistLindsay Mason102 Vera Shaw68Turnout6,793Alliance gain (x2) from UUPDUP gain from UUP
Ards B Party Candidate 1st Pref Robert Gaw843 Hugh Boyd780 John Algie822 Herbert Gallagher656 Owen Dorrian613 Cecilia Cooke515 William Allen506 William Boal381 Hugh Yeaman314 William Spratt288 Robert Brown277Turnout6,227Alliance gain from Loyalist CoalitionDUP gain from UUP
Ards C Party Candidate 1st Pref Hamilton McKeag823 Thomas Gourley561 John Shields520 Thomas McBriar448 James Middleton418 James Caughey352 Harold Porter348 Adela Hamilton282 Alice Rudnitzky261 William Dempster170 Arthur Spence112Turnout4,415DUP gain from UUP
Armagh Armagh A Party Candidate 1st Pref Douglas Hutchinson821 Mary Huey688 Samuel Foster640 Francis McIlvanna632 Francis Kernan553 Noel Lyttle236Turnout3,792SDLP gain from Independent
Armagh B Party Candidate 1st Pref William Henning1,177 Seamus Mallon1,092 Thomas Black1,077 William McClelland961 Jim Speers701 Francis Little554 George Parks513 Mervyn Spratt397 James McAfee311 Christina Glendinning188 David Robb142Turnout7,370UUUP gain from UUP
Armagh C Party Candidate 1st Pref Eleanor Boyd1,153 Patrick Fegan956 James McKernan876 Joseph Fullerton735 Jim Nicholson680 Eugene Connolly561Turnout5,241SDLP gain from Alliance
Armagh DArmagh District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Frederick Armstrong1,008 Barney McManus839 Oliver Tobin686 Pat Brannigan513Republican ClubsPatrick Houlihan507 Norman Creswell385 Letitia McClenaghan370 James McAvinchey298 Norah Dawson272 Robert Mercer200 Paddy Grimes169Turnout5,497Barney McManus leaves SDLPSDLP gain from Republican Clubs and Independent Unionist
Ballymena Ballymena A Party Candidate 1st Pref James Woulahan784 William Turtle725 James Millar584 Thomas Hume516 Thomas McCaughey496 Lyle Cubitt308United LoyalistWilliam Wilson162Turnout3,654DUP gain from UUP
Ballymena B Party Candidate 1st Pref Roy GillespieN/A John GreerN/A Hubert NichollN/A Hugh SimpsonN/A Thomas SmythN/A Sandy SpenceN/ATurnoutN/ADUP gain from UUP and Independent No election was held, as 6 candidates ran for the 6 seats.
Ballymena C Party Candidate 1st Pref John McAuley928 George Sloane850 Desmond McBurney762United RatepayersDavid Allen635 Albert Young383 William Simpson323 Robert McCosh224Turnout4,288David Allen leaves VanguardGeorge Sloane leaves UUPDUP gain (x2) from UUP
Ballymena DBallymena District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Patrick Burke990 Samuel Henry810 William Rainey674 Muriel Lamont672 Maurice Mills637 James Alexander607 Robert McAuley549 David Thompson290Turnout5,405Samuel Henry leaves UUPDUP gain from UUP
Ballymoney Ballymoney A Party Candidate 1st Pref Robert Halliday430 Joseph Bamford329 Adam Taylor280 Ralph Stronge224 David Hanna214 Hugh McFarland208 Henry McCoy198 James Taylor160Turnout2,118Joseph Bamford joins UUPDUP gain from Independent
Ballymoney B Party Candidate 1st Pref Charles Steele753 Hugh Boyle592 Daniel McAlonan576 William Logan474 Joe Gaston373 Harry Connolly367 John Mulholland331 Patricia Ellis314 Robert Chestnutt235 Ronald McDowell146Turnout4,257Joe Gaston and William Logan join UUPDUP gain from UUPSDLP gain from UUP
Ballymoney CBallymoney District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Robert McComb875 Brendan Smyth405 Mary Holmes365 Frederick Holland270 Samuel Montgomery168 John Greer85 Ernest Lee57Turnout2,298No change
Banbridge Banbridge ABanbridge District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref James Walsh758 Wilson Davidson697 James McElroy633 Laurence McCartan527 Samuel Cowan498 Norman Ferguson497 Frederick Baxter476 Hugh Anderson419 John McWhirter381 William McCullagh350 Mildred McDowell161 John Porter219 Daniel Lennon215 John Anderson213 Peter Finnegan174 James Crozier165Turnout6,484Wilson Davidson and Samuel Cowan join UUPHugh Anderson changes designation from IndependentDUP gain from Independent UnionistSDLP gain from Independent
Banbridge B Party Candidate 1st Pref Matthew Bailey805 Raymond McCullough678 Patrick McAvoy678 David Herron628 Herbert Heslip472 George Gamble457 Robert Hill429 Michael O'Hare428 Ernest Biggerstaff418 Eric Williamson379 Robert Barr375 John McKinstry246 Edward Gibney219Turnout6,457Matthew Bailey, Herbert Heslip, Robert Hill, and Raymond McCullough join UUPDUP gain (x2) from Independent UnionistUUP gain from Independent Unionist
Belfast Belfast AThe Local Government Elections 1973–1981: Belfast, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Basil Glass2,580 Grace Bannister2,367 Raymond McCrea1,912 Robert J. Newman1,549 Alasdair McDonnell1,364 Billy Blair1,026 T. Jordan954 Ben Horan954 Dennis Loretto667 B. Garrett594 T. Gildea483 W. Shannon452 W. Elliot379 A. Shaw378 P. Moles345 T. W. McGrattan278 D. Peters93Turnout16,898SDLP gain from NILPDUP gain from UUPDUP gain from VanguardAlliance gain from UUP
Belfast B Party Candidate 1st Pref Joshua Cardwell2,722 Oliver Napier2,703 Tommy Patton2,209 Michael Brown2,045 John Allen1,903 H. B. Evans1,058 Reg Empey981 T. McIntyre920 D. Wonnacott781 William Corry664 W. J. Gunning631 Dorothy Dunlop622 J. Hanna541 S. Morgan237Turnout18,741Joshua Cardwell leaves UUPDUP gain from United LoyalistAlliance gain from UUP
Belfast C Party Candidate 1st Pref David Cook2,748 Victor Brennan1,446 Andrew Cairns1,287 Muriel Pritchard1,274 Margaret Crooks1,142 M. O. Scott923 W. H. Jeffrey892 A. McMeekin872 R. Jordan780 John William Kennedy630 W. D. Gilmore619 W. Spence604 J. Webster340 Macartney330 W. Weir313 R. A. W. Johnston199 J. Robinson119Turnout15,041Alliance gain from UUPUPNI gain from UUP
Belfast D Party Candidate 1st Pref Paddy Devlin7,087 Dan McGuinness1,235 Bernard McDonagh942 Cormac Boomer905 Mary Sullivan760 M. Lynch723 R. Turkington575 K. Smyth527 W. Hunter477 SocialistG. Campbell107Turnout14,932No change
Belfast E Party Candidate 1st Pref Billy Bell3,297 Jimmy Weir2,184 Fred Proctor1,755 Alfred Egerton1,223 Hugh Smyth1,140 G. Chambers809 H. Stackman718 W. Lavery715 D. Smylie667 J. Sands412 Alfie Ferguson366 Peter Emerson236Turnout14,228Independent gain from United LoyalistUUP gain from NILP
Belfast F Party Candidate 1st Pref Owen Allen1,886 James Stewart1,681 Jim Sullivan1,099 Harry Fletcher1,081 Will Glendinning1,077 Billy Dickson949 T. Lappin899 J. H. Parkes525 T. G. Murphy369 S. O'Hare306 James Stewart115Turnout11,040Alliance gain from UUP
Belfast G Party Candidate 1st Pref Gerry Fitt3,006 Frederick Ashby1,377 Seamus Lynch1,323 Herbert Ditty1,043 Cecil Walker779 G. A. Haffey742 M. Laird592 Sammy Millar515 H. H. Kidd387 McKeown320Turnout10,970DUP gain from UUPRepublican Clubs gain from Independent Unionist
Belfast H Party Candidate 1st Pref Paschal O'Hare2,414 Frank Millar2,321 John Carson2,250 Myles Humphreys1,942 John Cushnahan1,865 William Annon1,507 Alban Maginness1,099 R. O. Jamison944 Alan Carr502 J. E. Gibson462 Cynthia McDowell441 J. S. Kennet439 Mary Creighton331Dominion PartyA. Beattie114Turnout17,316Frank Millar leaves UUPAlliance gain from UUPDUP gain from UUP
Carrickfergus Carrick A Party Candidate 1st Pref Joan Tomlin709United LoyalistCharles Johnston575 Mary Ardill383 Joseph Seaton378 William Johnstone325 Robert Hunter233 Stewart Dickson227 Robert McAllister166 Edward Simms131Turnout3,267Alliance gain from United Loyalist
Carrick B Party Candidate 1st Pref Charles Hilditch745 George Armstrong683 Desmond Scott425 Hugh McLean415 Patrick Conway271 Alice Bateman256United LoyalistCharles Brown253 David McCune244 Elizabeth McMaster183Turnout3,566Alliance gain from IndependentDUP gain from United Loyalist
Carrick CCarrickfergus District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Ken McFaul788 Samuel Murphy667 Sean Neeson395 Allison Lowry354 Samuel Simms238 Gladys Ritchie237 James Penny205United LoyalistErnest Burton193 John Moore144Turnout3,376Ken McFaul joins DUPDUP gain from United LoyalistUPNI gain from United Loyalist
Castlereagh Castlereagh A Party Candidate 1st Pref Bertie Barker955 Philip Grosse881 Thomas Hawthorne863Independent CommunityErnest Harper838 James Lowe782 William Stevenson682 Margaret Hull668 Frederick Kane646 William Stewart523 John Moore318Turnout7,382Bertie Barker and Frederick Kane join UUPDUP gain from United LoyalistIndependent Community gain from UUP
Castlereagh BCastlereagh District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref Adam Morrow884 Felicity Boyd843 Matthew Anderson699 Walter McFarland562 John Gilpin521 Thomas McQueen512 Leslie Farrington501 Thomas Lyons443 John Lamont421 James Scott408 John Hill332 Brent Hughes261 Joseph O'Hara226Loyalist Christian UnionistMichael Brooks171 John Barkley169 Ronald McLean136 Pauline Mateer119Independent CommunityRobert Allen53 William Copley26Turnout8,099Alliance gain from UUPDUP gain from UUP and United LoyalistIndependent Unionist gain from United Loyalist
Castlereagh C Party Candidate 1st Pref Herbert Johnstone1,200 Peter Robinson1,171 Patricia Archer887 Samuel Finlay557 Bryan Davidson530 Norman Kyle382 Elizabeth Rea304Independent CommunityJohn Snodden299 Valerie Walsh114Turnout5,619Alliance gain from IndependentDUP gain from UUP
Coleraine Coleraine AColeraine District Council Elections 1973-1981, Northern Ireland Elections Party Candidate 1st Pref James Anderson761 William King674 John Dallat623 William Watt623 Robert Catherwood605 Patrick Cassidy552 George McIlrath543 Robert Campbell508 Robert McMaster504 Martha McGrath281Republican ClubsJerry Mullan207 Robert Tosh143Turnout6,284James Anderson joins UUPDUP gain from UUP