West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Councillor Arder Carson

Sinn Féin councillor Arder Carson got involved in republican activism in the early 1980s and he has worked in the community and youth sector for more than 25 years. He was born in Andersonstown and has lived most of his life in Poleglass.

Arder used to work as a butcher for 14 years in his first job. He completed a degree in community and youth work at the University of Ulster Jordanstown in 1998.

Arder worked for 10 years in the Poleglass youth centre and then worked in the Glen Parent Youth Group in Lenadoon and in the Sally Gardens in Poleglass.

Since 2008 Arder has worked as the Project Manager for Tar Anall, which provides support services for republican ex-prisoners and their families. As part of his role at Tar Anall, Arder is a member of the Coiste executive and the West Belfast Job Assist Consortium and sits on the management committee of the Upper Springfield healthy living centre.


Arder has been a Sinn Féin representative on the Lisburn City Council since 2008 where he sits on the Economic Development and Planning committees.

He is a Sinn Féin representative on the Lisburn District Policing Partnership and he was the first Sinn Féin chairperson of Lisburn DPP from 2009 until December 2010.

Arder sits on the Board of the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership and is on the partnership's Community Safety sub-group. He also sits on the Board of Governors at St Therese's nursery school and St Kieran's Primary School.