Castle (District Electoral Area) District Electoral Area in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Castle Castle DEA marked on a map of Belfast City Council and its wards
Created 2014 Seats 6 (2014–) Councillors
Castle DEA (1993–2014) within Belfast
Castle is one of the ten district electoral areas in Belfast , Northern Ireland. Located in the north of the city, the district elects six members to Belfast City Council and contains the wards of Bellevue, Cavehill, Chichester Park, Duncairn, Fortwilliam and Innisfayle. Castle, along with Oldpark district and parts of the Court district and Newtownabbey Borough Council , forms the Belfast North constituency for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament . The district is bounded to the east by the Victoria Channel, to the north by Newtownabbey Borough Council and Belfast Lough , to the south by North Street and to the west by the Cavehill Road.
The district takes its name from the current Belfast Castle , which is located on Cave Hill in the north of the district, while the southern section of the district is part of the city centre and forms one of Belfast's main cultural areas, known as the Cathedral Quarter . The east of the area also contains the Port of Belfast . Castle is served by the M2 and M5 motorways and the Yorkgate railway station .
Castle is one of the most mixed areas in the city, with just over half of the district's population being Protestant at the 2001 Census. There are a number of peace lines in the district, for example along the Whitewell Road .
History
Castle was created for the 1985 local elections. All six wards came from the former Area H , with only the Cliftonville ward and northern section of the Waterworks ward omitted from the new district. One of the district's six wards, Castleview, was renamed Innisfayle in 2014.
Amenities
Cavehill
Wards
Belfast Castle
Map
Ward
Population (2011 Census)
Catholic
Protestant
Other
No Religion
Area
Density
NI Assembly
UK Parliament
Ref
1
Bellevue
4,910
63.7%
29.3%
1.1%
6%
2.96 km2
1,659/km2
Belfast North
Belfast North
[ 1]
2
Castleview
4,722
38.1%
54.2%
1.2%
6.5%
1.41 km2
3,349/km2
Belfast North
Belfast North
[ 2]
3
Cavehill
4,820
57.1%
37.7%
0.9%
4.3%
3.41 km2
1,413/km2
Belfast North
Belfast North
[ 3]
4
Chichester Park
5,452
74.3%
17.2%
1.6%
6.9%
0.95 km2
5,739/km2
Belfast North
Belfast North
[ 4]
5
Duncairn
4,901
23.6%
63.9%
2.2%
10.3
9.24 km2
530/km2
Belfast North
Belfast North
[ 5]
6
Fortwilliam
4,561
41.3%
50.3%
1.2%
7.2%
1.03 km2
4,428/km2
Belfast North
Belfast North
[ 6]
Castle
29,366
50.3%
41.5%
1.4%
6.9%
19 km2
1,546/km2
Councillors
The Big Fish sculpture
2023 Election
2019: 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Green
2023: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from Green
Castle - 6 seats[ 7]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Sinn Féin
Brónach Anglin
20.15%
2,479
Sinn Féin
Conor Maskey*
16.81%
2,068
DUP
Fred Cobain *
14.43%
1,775
DUP
Dean McCullough*
13.59%
1,671
1,673.31
1,673.85
2,021.85
Alliance
Sam Nelson*
11.31%
1,392
1,546.11
1,590.03
1,772.03
SDLP
Carl Whyte*
8.51%
1,047
1,378.98
1,511.28
1,608.53
1,628.53
Green (NI)
Mal O'Hara *
7.96%
979
1,137.73
1,225.75
1,474.88
1,553.88
UUP
Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston
4.50%
553
555.64
556.72
People Before Profit
Barney Doherty
2.03%
250
300.16
327.16
Workers' Party
Lily Kerr
0.70%
86
102.17
111.17
Electorate: 23,442 Valid: 12,479 (53.23%) Spoilt: 179 Quota: 1,758 Turnout: 12,300 (52.47%)
2019 Election
2014: 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2019: 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Green
2014-2019 Change: Green gain from UUP
Castle - 6 seats[ 8]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Alliance
Nuala McAllister * †
15.81%
1,787
Sinn Féin
John Finucane †
14.60%
1,650
DUP
Fred Cobain
12.73%
1,439
1,440.35
1,440.35
1,443.34
1,446.44
1,458.44
1,460.53
1,939.53
DUP
Guy Spence * †
12.45%
1,407
1,408.08
1,408.08
1,412.17
1,418.26
1,425.26
1,426.35
1,783.35
Green (NI)
Mal O'Hara
7.80%
882
939.51
967.67
1,031.82
1,174.86
1,277.64
1,350.6
1,423.01
1,493.01
SDLP
Carl Whyte
5.76%
651
680.61
690.51
709.32
727.04
835.2
1,365.4
1,397.65
1,432.65
Sinn Féin
Mary Ellen Campbell*
9.76%
1,103
1,109.66
1,111.93
1,128.29
1,145.56
1,183.92
1,212.91
1,200
1,223
UUP
David Browne *
8.97%
1,014
1,022.46
1,024.64
1,027
1,033.27
1,042.72
1,049.35
SDLP
Heather Wilson
4.87%
551
572.78
586.23
604.31
614.58
686.57
Independent
Patrick Convery*
3.33%
377
384.47
398.19
406.46
426.18
People Before Profit
Riley Johnston
1.80%
204
211.83
215.83
245.46
Workers' Party
Gemma Weir
1.38%
159
166.92
171.32
Independent
Cathal Mullaghan
0.67%
76
81.49
Electorate: 22,262 Valid: 11,300 (50.76%) Spoilt: 136 Quota: 1,615 Turnout: 11,436 (51.37%)
2014 Election
2011: 2 x DUP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2014: 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
2014-2019 Change: Alliance gain from Sinn Féin
Castle - 6 seats[ 9]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Sinn Féin
Mary Ellen Campbell *
15.31%
1,619
SDLP
Patrick Convery * ‡
11.32%
1,197
1,206.6
1,229.66
1,335.9
1,756.9
Alliance
Nuala McAllister
9.64%
1,020
1,021.8
1,064.86
1,261.1
1,388.58
1,410.58
1,549.18
DUP
Guy Spence *
12.66%
1,339
1,339.12
1,340.12
1,356.12
1,357.12
1,493.12
1,493.89
DUP
Lydia Patterson *
12.06%
1,276
1,276.18
1,277.18
1,287.18
1,295.18
1,463.18
1,467.03
UUP
David Browne *
10.71%
1,133
1,133.12
1,136.12
1,158.12
1,163.12
1,459.12
1,465.28
Sinn Féin
Tierna Cunningham*
9.81%
1,038
1,117.14
1,144.38
1,216.4
1,258.48
1,259.48
1,352.65
PUP
William McQuade
6.21%
657
657
659
673
677
SDLP
Cathal Mullaghan
5.24%
554
555.98
596.98
651.28
NI21
Alison Crawford
3.18%
336
337.08
343.08
Independent
Fra Hughes
2.06%
218
219.02
245.02
Workers' Party
Gemma Weir
1.81%
191
191.48
Electorate: 20,977 Valid: 10,578 (50.43%) Spoilt: 175 Quota: 1,512 Turnout: 10,753 (51.26%)
2011 Election
2005: 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP
2011: 2 x DUP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2005-2011 Change: Sinn Féin gain from SDLP
Castle - 6 seats[ 10]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
DUP
Lydia Patterson
14.85%
1,489
DUP
Guy Spence
9.44%
946
949
1,529
Sinn Féin
Tierna Cunningham *
13.74%
1,377
1,404
1,404
1,433
SDLP
Patrick Convery *
13.64%
1,367
1,399
1,404
1,606
Sinn Féin
Mary Ellen Campbell
12.90%
1,293
1,310
1,310
1,326
1,335
1,335
UUP
David Browne *
11.78%
1,181
1,185
1,211
1,332
1,345
1,440.04
SDLP
Cathal Mullaghan*
8.81%
883
903
904
1,120
1,255
1,255.64
Alliance
David McKechnie
6.87%
689
726
732
DUP
Lee Reynolds
6.27%
629
632
Workers' Party
John Lavery
1.70%
170
Electorate: 19,494 Valid: 10,024 (51.42%) Spoilt: 223 Quota: 1,433 Turnout: 10,247 (52.56%)
2005 Election
2001: 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP
2005: 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP
2001-2005 Change: No change
Castle - 6 seats[ 11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
DUP
Nigel Dodds *
28.96%
3,161
SDLP
Pat Convery *
16.66%
1,818
UUP
David Browne *
10.52%
1,148
1,454.51
1,563.59
SDLP
Cathal Mullaghan
10.41%
1,136
1,139.57
1,408.14
1,614.92
DUP
Ian Crozier *
4.01%
438
1,390.68
1,408.23
1,408.65
2,010.65
Sinn Féin
Tierna Cunningham
9.43%
1,029
1,032.06
1,066.06
1,087.34
1,109.25
1,133.25
1,163.17
Sinn Féin
David Kennedy
9.17%
1,001
1,003.04
1,032.55
1,046.41
1,068.4
1,090.4
1,111.4
DUP
Lydia Patterson
5.66%
618
908.7
918.74
919.16
Alliance
Marjorie Hawkins
2.47%
270
279.69
Green (NI)
Shane Ó Heorpa
1.68%
183
183.51
Workers' Party
John Lavery
1.03%
112
117.61
Electorate: 18,413 Valid: 10,914 (59.27%) Spoilt: 253 Quota: 1,560 Turnout: 11,167 (60.65%)
2001 Election
1997: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Sinn Féin,
2001: 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP
1997-2001 Change: DUP and SDLP gain from UUP and Alliance
Castle - 6 seats[ 12]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
DUP
Nigel Dodds *
27.94%
3,949
SDLP
Alban Maginness *
17.83%
2,520
DUP
Ian Crozier
5.37%
759
2,142.12
Sinn Féin
Danny Lavery *
14.09%
1,991
1,992.02
2,094.62
UUP
David Browne *
10.97%
1,550
1,868.75
1,874.95
1,946.95
1,947.7
1,951.7
1,979.41
2,337.41
SDLP
Pat Convery
9.93%
1,403
1,407.08
1,698.88
1,699.13
1,749.68
1,775.83
1,786.83
1,911.93
Alliance
Tom Campbell*
6.96%
984
1,027.86
1,090.06
1,094.56
1,106.71
1,131.07
1,141.27
1,325.27
PUP
Janet Carson
2.49%
352
456.04
457.84
478.44
478.74
484.45
490.41
NI Women's Coalition
Elizabeth Byrne McCullough
1.79%
253
259.12
277.32
279.12
284.67
300.38
308.63
Independent
David Mahood
1.26%
178
218.8
220.2
229.05
229.05
230.15
236.71
Independent
Alexander Blair
0.77%
109
115.63
116.03
117.78
117.78
118.83
Workers' Party
Marcella Delaney
0.59%
84
87.57
91.37
91.62
94.02
Electorate: 21,068 Valid: 14,132 (67.08%) Spoilt: 365 Quota: 2,019 Turnout: 14,497 (68.81%)
1997 Election
1993: 2 x UUP, 2 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1997: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Sinn Féin
1993-1997 Change: Alliance and Sinn Féin gain from UUP and SDLP, Independent Unionist joins UUP
Castle - 6 seats[ 13]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
DUP
Nigel Dodds *
17.41%
2,081
SDLP
Alban Maginness *
14.90%
1,781
Alliance
Tom Campbell
11.86%
1,417
1,420.06
1,423.46
1,518.18
1,527.68
1,917.68
Sinn Féin
Danny Lavery
11.40%
1,362
1,362.18
1,368.38
1,397.74
1,397.92
1,616.08
1,619.28
1,715.28
UUP
David Browne *
9.49%
1,134
1,169.1
1,169.18
1,192.54
1,300.26
1,301.62
1,633.3
1,638.3
UUP
Nelson McCausland *
8.91%
1,065
1,114.86
1,114.9
1,124.26
1,253.26
1,256.62
1,456.04
1,462.04
UUP
John Carson *
8.58%
1,025
1,060.28
1,060.52
1,073.52
1,169.38
1,192.62
1,390.04
1,430.04
PUP
Jim Crothers
6.51%
778
797.8
797.8
821.2
911.18
920.46
SDLP
Jonathan Stevenson*
6.02%
720
720
777.92
832.48
832.48
DUP
Robert Ferris
0.71%
85
304.96
304.96
309.14
Ulster Democratic
Raymond Gilliland
1.81%
216
220.14
220.14
224.32
NI Women's Coalition
Eileen Calder
1.25%
149
150.08
151.12
Green (NI)
Alan Warren
0.61%
73
73
73.24
Workers' Party
Paul Treanor
0.44%
53
53.18
53.9
Ulster Independence
Norman McClelland
0.01%
8
8.18
8.18
Natural Law
Andrea Gribben
0.01%
5
5
5.04
Electorate: 21,949 Valid: 11,952 (54.45%) Spoilt: 288 Quota: 1,708 Turnout: 12,240 (55.77%)
1993 Election
1989: 2 x Independent Unionist, 1 x UUP, 1 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
1993: 2 x UUP, 2 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1989-1993 Change: UUP and SDLP gain from Independent Unionist and Alliance
Castle - 6 seats[ 14]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
DUP
Nigel Dodds *
20.61%
2,470
UUP
David Browne
15.27%
1,830
UUP
John Carson *
12.98%
1,556
1,862.24
Ind. Unionist
Nelson McCausland *
8.93%
1,070
1,475.76
1,604.58
1,608.9
1,696.61
1,801.61
SDLP
Alban Maginness *
13.26%
1,589
1,589.96
1,589.96
1,617.96
1,618.31
1,626.38
2,010.38
SDLP
Jonathan Stevenson
9.09%
1,090
1,090
1,090
1,100
1,100.21
1,101.21
1,296.2
1,565.9
1,566.9
Alliance
Tom Campbell*
9.78%
1,172
1,185.44
1,194.75
1,225.75
1,234.15
1,311.09
1,465.04
1,490.15
1,550.15
Sinn Féin
Gerard McGuigan
4.80%
575
575.64
575.64
578.64
578.92
579.31
Green (NI)
Alan Warren
2.09%
251
255.8
257.51
303.83
306.7
337.1
NI Conservatives
Margaret Redpath
2.05%
246
269.36
274.49
274.49
281.63
Workers' Party
Paul Treanor
1.13%
136
137.28
137.66
Electorate: 22,839 Valid: 11,985 (52.48%) Spoilt: 346 Quota: 1,713 Turnout: 12,331 (53.99%)
1989 Election
1985: 2 x UUP, 1 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent Unionist
1989: 2 x Independent Unionist, 1 x UUP, 1 SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
1985-1989 Change: Independent Unionist gain from UUP
Castle - 6 seats[ 15]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
SDLP
Alban Maginness *
19.17%
2,301
UUP
John Carson *
18.26%
2,192
DUP
Nigel Dodds *
14.82%
1,779
Alliance
Tom Campbell *
8.77%
1,053
1,384.02
1,405.36
1,405.63
1,488.77
1,493.04
1,591.75
1,855.75
Ind. Unionist
Frank Millar *
11.54%
1,385
1,386.62
1,455.7
1,460.44
1,475.44
1,559.34
1,561.16
1,618.15
Ind. Unionist
Nelson McCausland
9.69%
1,163
1,163
1,270.36
1,276.3
1,280.1
1,390.64
1,392.76
1,433.56
UUP
Alfred Redpath*
6.39%
767
771.05
993.25
996.76
1,003.74
1,053.35
1,061.95
1,118.56
Workers' Party
Anthony Kerr
4.13%
496
612.37
619.85
620.24
714.69
724.37
864.13
Sinn Féin
Bobby Lavery*
3.77%
453
510.78
511.22
511.43
527.37
527.37
DUP
Samuel Lowry
1.80%
216
216.27
254.11
291.13
294.13
Green (NI)
Maria O'Sullivan
0.79%
95
139.28
140.16
140.19
Labour '87
Thomas Galloway
0.86%
103
124.87
127.95
128.04
Electorate: 24,488 Valid: 12,003 (49.02%) Spoilt: 323 Quota: 1,715 Turnout: 12,326 (50.33%)
1985 Election
1985: 2 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent Unionist
Castle - 6 seats[ 16]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
UUP
John Carson *
24.23%
3,153
SDLP
Alban Maginness
15.19%
1,977
Ind. Unionist
Frank Millar *
12.47%
1,623
1,812.83
1,813.08
1,836.49
1,863.28
DUP
Nigel Dodds
11.54%
1,502
1,622.95
1,623
1,625.05
1,632.51
2,179.51
UUP
Alfred Redpath
8.51%
1,107
1,783.5
1,783.5
1,797.73
1,821.83
1,916.83
Alliance
Tom Campbell
6.14%
799
822.37
825.42
919.79
1,333.54
1,337.77
1,351.99
1,870.99
Ind. Unionist
William Gault*
5.18%
674
892.94
893.04
903.86
915.55
980.31
1,280.51
1,281.51
SDLP
John Murphy
4.45%
579
581.87
672.17
864.67
885.52
885.52
887.89
DUP
Michael Whittley
5.43%
706
726.5
726.5
733.5
739.32
Alliance
Robert Jamison
3.45%
449
474.42
475.87
530.04
Workers' Party
Katherine Johnston
3.41%
444
448.51
451.06
Electorate: 24,488 Valid: 12,003 (49.02%) Spoilt: 323 Quota: 1,715 Turnout: 12,326 (50.33%)
See also
References
Places adjacent to Castle (District Electoral Area)
Information related to Castle (District Electoral Area)