On July 3rd in Belfast’s Black Box, nine first timers told their story of Belonging in Belfast. Here are four of them & a little bonus: Dave Thompson enters the Orange Order Song Contest; Geraldine McCormick fails to exhale; Orla McKeating embraces the city she had left behind; Niamh Kavanagh grows up on the road between Dublin & Belfast. Paul is your host.

Tenx9 is a monthly storytelling event where nine people have up to ten minutes to tell a true story from their own life on a particular theme. It began in Belfast in 2011, started by Pádraig Ó Tuama & Paul Doran, and as well as filling the main venue in the Black Box, it has spread to Scotland, England, USA, Canada, Netherlands & Australia.

While it draws on the tradition of oral storytelling, we also encourage the shy, the nervous & the reticent - some people are confident speakers other use notes or the full text.

We work with people via email or workshops to edit and improve their stories, to help them find their voice.

We have also worked with prisoners as well as young people who have been in the care system.

Our events are always free no matter where they are held in the world.