Friends of St George’s Market(established2009)

Friends of St George’s Market was officially formed on Saturday 4^th April 2009 in St George’s Market.

The initial committee consisted of

Brian Kennedy, Sean McCann, Magael Mc Laughlin, Miriam Crozier, Danae Kindness, Maggie Hendron, Sean Kerr, Pat Dyer, Jane Grace, Phil Roddy and Francis Gorman.

Brian Kennedy outlined the role of a Friends’ Association. This was not an organisation which would ever intervene between trader and management but would be a voice representing the users of the market. Both customer and trader were welcome to join.

It was felt that since it was now ten years since the refurbishment of the building by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Belfast City Council, that now would be timely to celebrate this anniversary.

In association with Belfast City Council, Friends of St George’s Market (with letters of support from Northern Visions, The Ulster Peoples College, P.S.Productions and Events, St Malachy’s Primary School and the Markets Community Association) made an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund and were successful in securing a grant to cover -:

1) A series of demonstrations of Traditional Skills which had some association with the market.

2) A filmed Archive made in association with Northern Visions

3) A Market Memories Cookbook

4) A history of St George’s presented as a Market Street Theatre.

5) A three day Victorian-themed market held on the 25^th, 26^th and 27^th June (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)2010

A Co-ordinator was advertised for and duly appointed and Annemarie Mullan began preparations for the five projects.

ST George’s Market Market Memories Film Archive

Karen Mc Cartney (lecturer with the Peoples’ History in Ulster Peoples’ College) agreed to conduct the interviews with traders and customers who were prepared to share memories going back as far as fifty years. Northern Visions agreed to provide a cameraman and editor and technical advice throughout the project which was scheduled to premiere at the end of September 2010.

Anyone interested in being interviewed is urged to contact Karen Mc Cartney (Ulster Peoples College) at 02890330131 or karen@upclearn.org

St George’s Market Memories Cookbook

Karen Mc Cartney and Jason Brannigan (Ulster Peoples’ College) agreed to compile the Market Memories Cookbook. A table will be set up in St George’s Market during Market Memories Weekend to collect contacts ,memories, recipes, anecdotes and pictures pertaining to the market.

Anyone interested in contributing to the book is asked to contact Karen or Jason at 02890330131 or email Karen using Karen@upclearn .org

Demonstrations of Traditional Skills(2010)

All demonstrations carried out during Saturday Market from 11.00pm until 2.00pm.22^nd May

Linen-weaving by Marian Baur from the Flax Mill outside Dungiven and wool-spinning by Ceceilia Manson, using wool from her own Tyrone sheep.

29^th May

A demonstration of blacksmithing and forging skills in Murdock’s Yard (off Vernor Street alongside St George’s Market) by Colin Dawson from Patterson’s Spade Mill in Templepatrick.

5^th June

Basket-weaving By Bob Johnston, the resident basket-maker from Cultra Folk Museum.

12^th June

Urban Bee-Keeping demonstrated by Mid-Antrim Bee-Keepers (sponsored by Co-operative Group as part of their nation-wide Plan Bee Campaign)

19^th June

Urban Gardening demonstration presented by Phillip Allen, a local permaculturalist assisted by Miriam Turley of the Eglantine Community Garden. Phillip will demonstrate how to garden on a budget and highlight how many of our own street names have plant origins.

26^th June

Pot-throwing by our own market potter.

How to spit a pig by our own market trader.

27^th June

Demonstrations of knitting, crochet, patchwork quilting and other thread and textile skills by the long-term practitioners from Cultra Folk Museum.
and

A demonstration of Victorian Economy Cooking from the chef in St George’s Bar and Grill.

St George’s Market Street Theatre

Directed and produced by Paddy Scully of P.S.Productions, this is a forty minute street promenade through the last hundred years in and around St George’s Market, performed by a colourful mixture of traders, regular customers and residents of the Markets’ area accompanied by musicians.

Projects under consideration by Friends of St George’s Market

1/In conjunction with various educational bodies to set up a competition to examine entrepreneurial skills culminating in the winning entry being given access to a market stall for a limited period.

2/To attract various members of the public to become more involved with cycling to the market, perhaps in association with organisations such as Sustrans.

3)    To set up a market newsletter.

4)   To promote outreach markets from St George’s Market throughout North, South, East and West of the city.

5)    To promote an association with Slow Food, Organics and encourage higher standards of food production and preparation.

6)    To enhance the understanding of market culture by organising visits to Irish markets both North and South and beyond.

7)    To attract members to the Friends Association (and with a view to that we will be posting an application form on the web-site in the near future)