No change in Newry and Armagh

Going into the election, Newry and Armagh was the only constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections to have all its…

Going into the election, Newry and Armagh was the only constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections to have all its MLAs running for re-election. And, as it turns out, all six managed their objective.

Few surprises were expected and, despite a threat from the SDLP's Thomas O'Hanlon, none transpired in the end as Sinn Féin's Mickey Brady followed his five fellow outgoing MLAs to retain his seat having received 5,624 votes on the sixth and last count without reaching the quota.

After 11 hours of counting the constituency became the first to return a result in the election with Conor Murphy, Northern Ireland's outgoing Minister for Regional Development, topping the poll with 9,127 votes.

Danny Kennedy for the UUP who received 8,718 votes and Dominic Bradley for the SDLP who secured 7,123 votes were also return to the Assembly on the first count.

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Sinn Féin received a second nomination when Cathal Boylan, who needed just 31 votes to secure his Assembly place, was deemed elected on the second count while the DUP's William Irwin reached the quota on the third count having received 7,502 votes.