The project is the only entry from Northern Ireland to make the list
Brenda and Ann at Oakman Street community garden(Image: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)
The organisers of a West Belfast alleyway garden project have said that being recognised among Ireland’s greenest communities as come at a time of great importance.
The Three Sisters Gardening Community have been recognised in the long list for the Ireland’s Greenest Community Award as part of the 2025 Irish Times Ireland’s Greenest Places and is the only project from Northern Ireland to make the list.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Brenda Gough, chair of the project explained that it is about creating green space in areas of social and economic deprivation.
“The recognition of this space island-wide is coming at a time of great importance as we are seeing a lot of people on social media saying that climate breakdown is a hoax and it is not, it is very real,” she said.
“The Three Sisters project is not just about growing a few nice vegetables and herbs and things like that, it’s also a movement because climate breakdown is having a massive effect on the cost of living.
“We do need to rethink how we live, and if you can build a small productive space in inner city Belfast, it proves that we can make those small steps to make life a little bit better for all of us.”
The project, which started with one alleyway during lockdown, has grown to include an additional three alleyways and the group have partnered with Workforce whose students have assisted with the construction of planting beds.
Brenda explained that the project has had a transformational effect on the area and that people are now starting to respect the shared spaces.
“Angela, whose back door backs onto the Three Sisters space, said to me that people have stopped dumping because we took a small space and made it beautiful. People now have respect for it.
“When we first started, Angela couldn’t grow anything and had no gardening knowledge. She works in assisted housing and had now helped to develop a garden in her workplace which benefits the residents she helps to look after.
“Those skills you develop, they actually spread like ripples on the water. She’s now helping other people after she initially reached out to me to help build the space.”
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