THE political map of Northern Ireland is being redrawn as local election results indicate the main unionist parties are likely to lose control of the councils in Belfast, Co Fermanagh, and Strabane, Co Tyrone.
The overall trend is one of a high turnout among nationalists while unionist spokesmen complained of apathy from their supporters, especially the younger ones.
Counting for Northern Ireland's 26 district councils continued last night. It is due to finish this afternoon and Sinn Fein is expected to increase its share of the vote by about 4 per cent on the last local elections.
The prominent Progressive Unionist Party spokesmen, Mr David Ervine and Mr Billy Hutchinson, were elected to Belfast City Council.
The election returns opened up the prospect of a nationalist mayor being elected in Belfast in the next year or two. As the results came in, cars displaying the Tricolour and hooting their horns made their way through central Belfast.
Nationalists leaning through the car windows cheered exultantly and exchanged taunts with passing loyalists. A loyalist woman incensed by the demonstration shouted in anger at police for allowing it to take place.
Supporters of the PUP organised their own cavalcade, which drove in triumph past the City Hall on the way to a celebration on the Shankill Road.
Voting trends in Derry indicated the SDLP would lose its overall majority on the city council while remaining the largest party. Mr Mark Durkan of the SDLP accused Sinn Fein of vote fraud and the Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, challenged him to "put up or shut up."
The Ulster Unionist MP, Mr Ken Maginnis, and the SDLP deputy leader, Mr Seamus Mallon, accused the British government of breaching electoral law by convening talks with Sinn Fein on polling day.
Mr Maginnis also said the meetings held by the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, with residents groups in nationalist areas on Wednesday had boosted the Sinn Fein vote.
"If there has been a deliberate infringement of the electoral system, then there may be grounds for asking that the whole process be declared null and void," Mr Maginnis said.
However, a press spokesman for the SDLP said: "The fact of the matter is that there has been an election. The people have spoken and Mr Maginnis should respect the views and the decision of the people. The SDLP will definitely be doing that."
Residents on the nationalist Lower Ormeau Road in Belfast rejected unionist criticism of the Northern Ireland Secretary for visiting them. "Mo Mowlam is to be commended for trying to inject a sense of urgency into attempts to resolve the parades issue," the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community (LOCC) group said in a statement.
Commenting on the result, the newly elected PUP councillor, Mr Billy Hutchinson, said: "It proves to everybody now that we're no longer a fringe party and that we are electable."
He said the PUP's approach on Belfast City Council would be very different" from that of the traditional unionist parties. "Our policy is that we should share responsibility."
The leader of the loyalist Ulster Democratic Party, Mr Gary McMichael, held his seat on Lisburn council but the party's overall performance did not match the PUP's.
The spokesman for the Garvaghy Road residents' group in Portadown, Co Armagh, Mr Breandan Mac Cionnaith, was expected to win a council seat. Mr Mac Cionnaith, who is a key figure in the Drumcree controversy, stood as an Independent Nationalist Community candidate for Craigavon Borough Council.
The vote for Ballymena council was overshadowed by the loyalist demonstrations at the Catholic church in Harryville.
The Ulster Unionist Mayor, Mr James Currie, who stood with the parishioners, kept his seat with an increased vote. The former Irish rugby international, Mr David Tweed, who took an opposing stance, won a seat for the DUP.
Mr Richard Dallas of the UUP, who was at the centre of controversy as Mayor of Derry, topped the poll in the Waterside area.