SF polled 25.5% of the 674,000 ballots cast. Combined Unionist votes totalled about 317,000, just under 50%. Will the DUP pressure the other Unionist parties to cease putting forth candidates in national elections?

Posted by BigJake | 09.05.10, 21:05 GMT

Sad day for Ulster really. Well , the British govt gave back Hong Kong,Macau,Singapore, Malaysia, most of its empire, so why keep expensive Ulster? Then the roles will reverse, the 'terrorists' will be the unionists & property values will crash again. Let the people speak, & if they are majority Sinn Fein, we all know where that will go.
Glad I'm elsewhere.

Posted by Sawasdee | 09.05.10, 17:19 GMT

Aaron, a united Ireland is not about Sinn Fein. The Irish Government and people will never force through a United Ireland until we agree with unionism a way forward. The people of the Republic want to build good relations with unionists. We understand the fear that a UI has for unionists. That is why the irish government will work with the unionists over the next number of years to make this fear a thing of the past. British and Irish peoples are all welcome in an agreed Ireland. We should always remember that we share this island and everyone has the right to their futures. We will only have a UI when a majority of people agree.

Posted by John | 08.05.10, 22:38 GMT

People are missing the point. This is not about a united Ireland. We in the Republic want to agree with unionists on a way forward. We cannot and should not ignore unionists. In a future agreed Ireland it is important and vital that unionists are fully on board. There wille a majority for a united Irealnd within the next 20 years. We have a lot of work to do before then. Building relations and peace is the most important.

Posted by John | 08.05.10, 22:29 GMT

ha ha ha ha haaa- ray usa a united ireland ?...that'll happen around the same time the whites give North America back to the native Americans. Keep writing in cos you're a hoot

Posted by LHO | 08.05.10, 19:23 GMT

If Sinn Fein has more votes than the DUP then how come Sinn Fein hasn't more seat? Did I hear you mention Gerry Mandering?

Posted by sean from co down Ireland | 08.05.10, 15:34 GMT

I have one piece of advice for Sinn Fein: Keep your eyes on the prize.

Posted by JerryF | 08.05.10, 14:56 GMT

norman.d | this agreement that paisley took us into and will live to regret this


I doubt unionists will regret the partition agreement the Irish unionists made with their gerrymandering/discrimination tricks we Irish nationalist had to live with in the six counties. I have yet to hear one unionist politician apologize for the gerrymandering/discrimination carried on against their fellow Irish citizens. Have no fear the pro Brit peoples will never endure the same hostilities we nationalists had forced on us. I'd be the first to stand up in their cause.

Posted by eamon mc | 08.05.10, 14:10 GMT

41% nationalist/republican vote, 59% non-nationalist vote on a turnout of 60%. Given that Unionists are most likely to dominate the 40% who didn't vote, I suspect that any referendum on Irish Unity would throw up a 65%+ against a United Ireland. Do the sums yourselves. If Unionists ever get their act together there will never be a majority for a United Ireland.

Posted by Democrat | 08.05.10, 13:26 GMT

Who's got two thumbs and no leader?
Stand up Jeffery!

Posted by Bapman | 08.05.10, 09:28 GMT

You can't 'urge caution' on the core ideology of nationalism. No-one is daft enough to think a UI is going to happen short term. It is a long term goal, which will be achieved peacefully and through democracy with the inevitable will of the majority of people in NI - read the agreement. numpty.

Posted by Bapman | 08.05.10, 09:25 GMT

I'm a Southern Catholic married to a Southern Protestant. Our children are protestant and we're all looking forward to the day - hopefully in my lifetime - when we'll have a united Ireland. The border between the two parts of this island is completely unnatural. My wife went to a Protestant school in the South and 80% of her friends are marrying Catholics. Of those marriages, at most of the couples are rearing their children as Protestants. My own reasoning is simply that on all of the issues that Protestants and Catholics are supposed to differ (e.g. position of the pope, communion, contraception, married priests, women priests) I, like most Catholics agree with the Protestant position anyway.

Posted by Southpaw | 08.05.10, 07:53 GMT

congrats. to all. the ROI dont want your garbage attitudes. good for them!!

Posted by billy | 08.05.10, 04:13 GMT

Congratulations to the Sinn Fein party in N Ireland, they will do their best for their people in Ireland, and this is a great day for them.
It's nice to get a result, that's known and not to have a result that's full of incertainty, like the Hung Parliament we now have, that is making the country doubtful of its future !

Posted by Jo Sparkes | 07.05.10, 23:47 GMT

Its just political evolution. Things are gradually evolving and the heartbeat of Irish nationalism appears to be based on the aspirations for reuniting the country. Seems to be a fairly strong theme on this message board. The status of the economy is irrelevant, as are any other footnotes and factors along the way. I'd be interested to read this message board like this in 30 years. At the beginning of the 1980's Sinn Fein had 6% of the popular vote, and had just started speaking to the venerable John Hume and a certain Mr Haughey about bringing about peace. The conditions for a united Ireland will come about - and not by the armalite - its inevitable - and those conditions will suit the majority of British Unionists in Northern Ireland, who will be secured of their British citizenship in an economically healthy, well integrated united Ireland. Peace is already here, and we should be delighted about that every day we wake up. Might need a change of flag for the final push though.

Posted by futurist | 07.05.10, 22:23 GMT

I would urge caution from nationalists. Yes today's election results are very important, and hopefully we may edge out the DUP as the largest party but even if we do, a United Ireland is not a road that we should rush down. Firstly if we become the majority it is still no reason to go off half cocked about this. Both Unionists and Southern politicians must be convinced without a doubt that merging with the republic is the best option for the six counties and without full support of both groups, the dream of a United Ireland may come to nothing but frustration and more mistrust.

Posted by Sean D | 07.05.10, 19:37 GMT

Gearoid, I'd say SF pulled out of South Belfast because they hadn't a hope of winning it and thought it better to concentrate elsewhere where they had a chance of winning. Seems to have worked.

Posted by Watcher | 07.05.10, 18:24 GMT

A Dochartaigh "This definitely means a united Ireland".

I would have to say you are being rather optimistic. "Definitely"... really?

How exactly does Sinn Fein having 5 seats, and the DUP 8 seats, mean we are "definitely" getting a united Ireland?

Posted by david | 07.05.10, 18:08 GMT

Superb coverage of the election by the Belfast Telegraph. Great Job. Really helps the diaspora stay in touch.

Posted by Pilib | 07.05.10, 16:54 GMT

Just look at the photo of how happy wee Jeffery is with the Shinners at the top of the heap -again!! He's jumped parties once - maybe he'll be on the move again??

And SF managed it without even contesting South Belfast themselves and in the context of the electoral disintegration of the UUP and TUV.

Steady progress of the republican project. Good to see.

Posted by gearoid | 07.05.10, 16:10 GMT