9ft in Common – a city-wide endeavour stretching from the bustling neighbourhood of Ballyhackamore to the hilled streets of Ligoniel – is a transformative initiative that seeks to redefine the creative potential of Belfast’s network of alleyways. This weekend (September 21- 22 ), the team behind the project will unveil Multitudes – The Exhibition, presenting a symbolic offering of 202 ceramic hag stones to honour Belfast’s 202km mapped network of alleyways, and the people and stories that populate them. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Belfast News Letter, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
Steeped in folklore, hag stones are stones with a naturally occurring hole, through which, it’s believed, people can see other realms of possibility. Over this autumn equinox weekend, the exhibition will encourage people to see the creative potential of Belfast’s alleyways, and reconsider the possibilities lying just beyond our back gates. Created in Belfast by ceramicists, Claire and Karen Gibson of Red Earth Designs, the 202 unique ceramic hag stones will be displayed in a two-day exhibition in the Banking Hall of the Belfast Stories Building on Royal Avenue, with visitors invited to come and view the collection from 9am to 3pm on Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22.
Traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits, hag stones are considered to be good luck charms. Following the exhibition, the hag stones will be hidden throughout the alley ways across Belfast, encouraging people to get out and explore these spaces, with the opportunity to find and keep one of the hidden ceramic treasures. The Multitudes exhibition is part of 9ft in Common’s, ‘A Manifesto for the Alleys’ initiative, commissioned by Belfast 2024, as part of an ambitious programme to give people the opportunity to celebrate our city in new and exciting ways.
The project is led and developed by Amberlea Neely of Starling Start and Aisling Rusk of Studio idir. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking ahead of the exhibition launch, Amberlea Neely said: “Belfast’s alleyways offer a multitude of opportunities, and we hope this exhibition – and our city wide treasure hunt that will follow – will inspire new thinking around how these public spaces can be reimagined. “These beautiful 202 handcrafted ceramic hag stones, created by Red Earth Studio, lean into local folklore and invite people to consider a new future our city’s forgotten spaces.
“With a little imagination, these spaces can become celebrations of our nature, stories, and identities, and as we head into the magical autumnal season, we hope to inspire visitors to imagine a brighter, greener future for our alley ways.” 9ft in Common wants locals to see what our alleys would look like if they became growing spaces, wildlife corridors, or an alternative means of travelling around the city. If used effectively, we could gain green space equivalent to over 76 football pitches, more than four Botanic Gardens, or pathways stretching more than 18 times the length of the Comber Greenway, providing much needed extra greenspace that could benefit the city’s biodiversity, growing potential and the resident’s mental health.
For further information, visit 9ftincommon.com or connect with the project on Instagram, at @9ftincommon..
