"Unity" was the political label for a series of electoral pacts byIrish nationalist,Irish republican andsocialist candidates inNorthern Ireland elections in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It also contested elections as a party in its own right, electing six councillors in the1973 local council elections in the Fermanagh and Dungannon areas,[1] although this was reduced to two members of Fermanagh council in thenext election in 1977.[2]
The first victory came in 1969 in theMid Ulster by-election which was won by 21-year old studentBernadette Devlin.[3] She held her seat in the1970 general election,[4] whenFermanagh and South Tyrone was won by her colleagueFrank McManus.[5] Both lost their seats in theFebruary 1974 general election.[6] Bernadette would later go on to join theIRSP.[7]
In theOctober 1974 general election the spirit of Unity was revived, if not the name, whenFrank Maguire won Fermanagh and South Tyrone as an agreed independent Republican.[8] He held the seat until his death in 1981.[9] In 1978 Unity merged with the remnants of theNationalist Party to form theIrish Independence Party.[10]
| Election | First-Preference Votes | FPv% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 Mid Ulster by-election | 33,648 | 53.3% | |
| Unity gain fromUUP | |||
| Election | First-Preference Votes | FPv% | ±% | Seats | Seats % | ±% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 United Kingdom general election | 14,645 | 2.5% | New | 0 / 12 | 0.00% |  |
| 1970 United Kingdom general election | 140,930 | 18.1% |  15.6% | 2 / 12 | 16.67% | 1 |
| Feb 1974 United Kingdom General Election | 17,593 | 2.4% |  15.7 | 0 / 12 | 0.00% | 2 |
| Election | First-Preference Votes | FPv% | ±% | Seats | Seats % | ±% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 Northern Ireland local elections | 10,281 | 1.5% | New | 6 / 462 | 1.30% | New |
| 1977 Northern Ireland local elections | 5,528 | 1.0% | 0.5 | 2 / 462 | 0.43% | 4 |
Westminster Election, 10 October 1974 (one seat). Frank Maguire (Independent) 32,795 (51.8%)
On the Nationalist side, the Irish Independence Party emerged from the remnants of the old Nationalist Party and the Unity movement.
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