SOUTH Down, a constituency of sublime natural beauty, where drumlins roll towards the sentinel-like Mournes and the coastline weaves through fishing villages and around miles of golden beaches. It’s hard to believe that this green and pleasant idyl, renowned for its Patrician heritage and home to more All-Ireland winners than anywhere else in Ulster, is the backdrop to much political intrigue, infighting and betrayal.
The constituency that at various times has been represented by Eamon de Velara and Enoch Powell, has historically had its fair share of nationalist/unionist rivalries but on May 5 the battle lines will not be drawn so much between these two blocs. Instead, it will be the intra-nationalist and intra-unionist contests that will attract most attention, alongside a potential surge in the middle ground.
In 2017 election, the first after the number of MLAs per constituency was reduced from six to five, Sinn Féin and the SDLP emerged with two seats apiece and the DUP with one. In the election some ten months earlier, the outcome was pretty much the same, with the Ulster Unionists taking the sixth seat.
Notably, only Sinn Féin’s Sinead Ennis, who topped the poll last time out, and the SDLP’s Colin McGrath, the constituency’s final MLA to be elected in 2017, are seeking re-election. The latter’s running mate, Karen McKevitt, previously served as an MLA for South Down between 2011-2016 but did not seek a nomination to defend her seat, which was then taken by party colleague Sinead Bradley. Ms Bradley, whose late father PJ Bradley also represented the constituency in the assembly, is stepping back from politics, enabling her predecessor to endeavour to be her successor.
But whereas South Down could’ve once been described as an SDLP stronghold, the party may struggle to return two MLAs, with Alliance’s Patrick Brown breathing down one of its two candidates’ necks.
Sinn Féin famously stole not only the SDLP’s clothes post-Good Friday Agreement but later its crown in South Down, snatching the Westminster seat in 2017. However, it has had some difficulties. Emma Rogan, a campaigner whose father was killed in the UVF’s 1994 Loughinisland Massacre, was co-opted to replace Chris Hazzard when he became an MP. But even by the standards of Sinn Féin’s notoriously shy backbenchers, she had been especially low key and was deselected last year, 12 months out from the election. Running in her place is Cathy Mason, the current chair of Newry, Mourne and Down Council, a profile that will undoubtedly help the Slieve Croob councillor’s election prospects.
Sinn Féin lost ground to its nationalist rival when defending the Westminster seat in 2019’s general election but if Alliance’s Patrick Brown improves on what was a strong performance at the last assembly poll – he came within 750 votes of being elected – it is very possible the SDLP that will lose out, as both are courting moderates’ votes.
On the unionist side, there’s been no shortage of drama in South Down, with what at times has resembled a game of musical chairs. Jeffrey Donaldson had previously been touted as a potential DUP candidate in constituency where he was first elected some 37 years ago, while his colleague Edwin Poots made an unsuccessful bid to get his name on ticket. In the end, the DUP’s party officers opted for accountant and one-time Westminster candidate Diane Forsythe, much to the disgust of sitting MLA Jim Wells. The former health minister subsequently cut ties with the DUP and backed the TUV’s Harold McKee, a political journeyman who was a UUP MLA.
The Ulster Unionists are running Jill Macauley, a Banbridge councillor and self-styled “Mum of four, farmer's wife and business owner”. Like many of Doug Beattie’s new raft of candidates, it’s often hard to fathom whether she’s four square behind the new leader’s vision. It's quite possible the three unionist parties' first preference tallies in South Down will be very similar, with transfers from nationalists potentially being the deciding factor.
:: Candidates –
Patrick Brown – Alliance Party
Patrick Clarke – Independent
Sinéad Ennis – Sinn Féin
Diane Forsyth – DUP
Noeleen Lynch – Green Party
Jill MacAuley – UUP
Cathy Mason – Sinn Féin
Paul McCrory – People Before Profit
Rosemary McGlone – Aontú
Colin McGrath – SDLP
Harold McKee – TUV
Karen McKevitt – SDLP
