Joseph Erskine Holmes (born February 1940) is a politician in Northern Ireland. Holmes was educated at Annandale Grammar School and attended Queen's University Belfast. He chaired the Queen's University Labour Group in the early 1960s, serving alongside Michael Farrell and Eamonn McCann. On graduating, he became a teacher, and stood for the Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP) in several elections. Holmes was elected to Belfast City Council at the Northern Ireland local elections, 1973 in Belfast Area A, but did not defend his seat in 1977.