Antrim & Newtownabbey: Final results of the election so far... and it's good news for Sinn Fein

In short, they herald a big victory for Sinn Fein, which now has six councillors in place – one more than it had across the entire council in 2019.

And only four of the seven electoral areas have so far been counted, meaning that when the other three are tallied tomorrow, it could mean Sinn Fein end up taking a further four seats (though this is unlikely).

The DUP have so far managed to hold their own, with seven candidates through so far: the same as last time in the four areas counted.

The losses have come at the expense of the UUP and SDLP, with Alliance picking up an extra seat in the form of Lewis Boyle, the youngest councillor in this election.

In fact, he believes he is the youngest councillor in any election on the island of Ireland.

Aged 18, and yet to sit his A-Levels, he described himself as representing a “new brand of progressivism”, with the environment being a particular concern.

• BALLYCLARE – UUP loss to Alliance

In Ballyclare, the picture is the same as in 2019 except the UUP lost a seat to the Alliance Party.

Here are the five successful councillors, in descending order of their first-preference votes:

Jeannie Archibald, DUP (1,655)

Vera McWilliam, UUP (1,131)

Lewis Boyle, Alliance (977)

Helen Magill, DUP (947)

Michael Stewart, Ind (928)

• DUNSILLY – SDLP loss to Sinn Fein

In Dunsilly, it was the same as 2019 but this time Sinn Fein snatched a seat off the SDLP.

Here are the five successful candidates:

Henry Cushinan, Sinn Fein (1,390)

Annie O’Lone, Sinn Fein (1,214)

Linda Clarke, DUP (977)

Jay Burbank, Alliance (913)

Stewart Wilson, UUP (843)

• ANTRIM TOWN – UUP loss to Sinn Fein

In Antrim Town, Sinn Fein surged ahead from nowhere to take top spot in terms of first-preference votes, having not even had a councillor there last time. As a result, UUP lost a seat to them.

Here are the six successful candidates:

Lucille O’Hagan, Sinn Fein (1,270)

Neil Kelly, Alliance (1,091)

Paul Dunlop, DUP (986)

Leah Smyth, UUP (744)

John Smyth, DUP (721)

Roisin Lynch, SDLP (678)

• GLENGORMLEY – SDLP loss to Sinn Fein

And in Glengormley, the results mirrored 2019 except the SDLP lost a seat to Sinn Fein.

The seven successful candidates are:

Alison Bennington, DUP (1,432)

Eamonn McLaughlin, Sinn Fein (1,280)

Julian McGrath, Alliance (994)

Rosie Kinnear, Sinn Fein (972)

Mark Cosgrove, UUP (952)

Paula Bradley, DUP (852)

Michael Goodman, Sinn Fein (841).

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