May Beattie

May Beattie (born c. 1950) is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.

Born in Carrickfergus, Beattie became involved in politics by assisting the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) during elections. She became a party member in the early 1990s,[1] and first stood for election to Carrickfergus Borough Council at the 1993 Northern Ireland local elections.[2]

Although unsuccessful, she was elected for the DUP in East Antrim at the Northern Ireland Forum election in 1996, and sat on the forum's health committee.[1][3] She gained a seat on Carrickfergus council in 1997, and held this in 2001, 2005 and 2011.[2] She served as Mayor of Carrickfergus in 2003–4 and sits on a large number of committees. She is currently serving as an alderman.[4]

Beattie has also served as secretary for the DUP's East Antrim branch and for the East Antrim Imperial Association, and was previously a member of the Association of Loyal Orangewomen of Ireland.[1]

In the 2019 Northern Ireland local elections she unsuccessfully ran as a Traditional Unionist Voice candidate in the Knockagh ward for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council [5][6]

References

1. Rachel Ward, Women, unionism and loyalism in Northern Ireland, p.170
2. "Carrickfergus Borough Council Elections 1993-2011", Northern Ireland Elections
3. "East Antrim", Northern Ireland Elections
4. "Alderman May Beattie", Carrickfergus Borough Council
5. "Candidates"
6. "Results"

Northern Ireland Forum
New forum	Member for East Antrim 1996–1998	Forum dissolved
Civic offices
Preceded by Eric Ferguson	Mayor of Carrickfergus 2003–2004	Succeeded by David Hilditch