Tenx9

Society & Culture

About

Tenx9 is a storytelling night where 9 people have up to 10 minutes each to tell a real story from their lives. Each night has a theme. This podcast brings you a sample of 3 stories from each evening. Check out http://tenx9.com to find out the theme, date and venue of the next live event. Get in touch and tell your story.

Episodes

  • Pod 316 - Attitude

    In a partnership with Disability Action Ni, our April event was amazing; there are three stories from that evening on this podcast: Natasha Geary introduces Schweppes the pony; Mark Cousins introduces the changeling; Deena Dimick introduce…

  • Bonus Pod - Buster

    West Belfast through & through, Bernie McDonald goes east & falls in love. Told in February 2026 when the theme was Directions . Bonus Pod - Buster Tenx9 Download

  • Pod 315 - Something New (Edit)

    On March 25 we teamed up with the Belfast festival Imagine! & here are two stories from that evening on the theme Something New : Tim arranges a secret trip to… that would be telling; Judith goes on a journey of self-discovery. Paul is you…

  • Pod 314 - I Am Here

    Three stories told at Black Box events in 2025/26 in Belfast: Don Gregory makes his presence felt; Rania Charalampidou has an Easter break in Constantinople-Istanbul; Paul Brady doesn’t see it coming when he visits a medium. Paul D is your…

  • Pod 313 - Directions

    It was Weds February 18 & we were collaborating with NI Science Festival with a full house in Belfast’s Black Box: Eve Pritchett forgot to ask where her new school was; Kelly Thompson was a victim of mistaken identity by technology; Louise…

  • Pod 312 - The Wee Twins

    Three stories from 2024 to lift you out of the February murk: Dave Thompson enjoys a windy Bible reading; it’s game on for Mylie Brennan with dungeons and dragons; Malachi steps out flaunting his new knitted waistcoat at First Communion. P…

  • Pod 311 - Little Death

    Three stories recorded in 2025 in Belfast’s Black Box & Limavady’s Roe Valley Arts Centre: Karen Gibson becomes a 999 regular; Mary Farrell loses dead skin & dignity; Mike Carlisle faces his “little death” - fear! Paul is your host. Little…

  • Bonus Pod - HNY 2026

    To ease us into 2026 here’s a story told in May by Attila Pál which was part of the NI Mental Health Arts Festival. Happy New Year! Bonus Pod - HNY2026 Tenx9 Download

  • Pod 310 - Christmas 2025 Live

    Have a wonderful Christmas with a taste of our big night in Belfast’s Black Box - surprises, laughter & stories: Nathan McCartney prepares for the worst; Fionnuala Close is told “say nothin” & agrees; Pat Scott goes off Secret Santa. Paul…

  • Pod 309 - Flowerfield Xmas 2025

    Christmas came early to Portstewart with tenx9 at Flowerfield. Here are four stories from that evening: Kate Murphy discovers the truth of Xmas in Africa; Gloria O’Connor is pushed to her festive limits; David McCullough introduces the won…

  • Pod 308 - Fall

    Three stories told at our Black Box Belfast event in November when the theme was Fall : Richard Brown “helps” his straight-laced friend pack; Bob Salisbury finds his field of dreams in Tyrone; Houdi McCabe takes a principled stand against…

  • Pod 307 - Jain on a Train

    Three stories to brighten your winter gloom: Martin Hutchinson thinks “wee buns” to windsurfing; Colin Dardis watches his dad struggle with day-to-day life; Carrie Jain lowers her guard on a train. Paul is your host. Jain on a Train Tenx9…

  • Bonus Pod - Paul & Alice

    Father & daughter Paul & Alice Hutchinson took to the tenx9 mic with their Hallowe’en stories at Roe Valley Arts Centre in Limavady. Bonus Pod - Paul & Alice Tenx9 Download

  • Pod 306 - Faith

    Four stories from 17 October 2025 told at an event in Derry/Londonderry in partnership with the Churches Trust. The theme was Faith: Cat Brogan felt she was losing hers; Joseph Conlan wondered about a vocation; Kenny Campbell rediscovered…

  • Bonus Pod - The Birds

    The theme for September 24th was “Wee Buns” & Paul Brady had this brilliant tale of starting over. Bonus Pod - The Birds Tenx9 Download

  • Pod 305 - America

    On August 1st, there was a special tenx9 in the Black Box on the theme America: Fiona O’Neill had the coolest penpal; Richard O’Leary made it to San Francisco but his heart was elsewhere: Mylie Brennan had to make some cultural adjustments…

  • Pod 304 - Summer 2025

    We’re back with three Summer stories just as those long, lazy days begin to fade: teenager Michael Blair goes on a European solo expedition; Barney Gribbin buys a bizarre wedding present; Sharon Magee makes a friend for life in the Netherl…

  • Pod 303 - Sin

    On 14 May, Belfast’s Black Box became a confessional where storytellers came for absolution: Fiona O’Neil torments her mother with toothpaste; Phil Simon believes he murdered his beloved grandad & Pat Scott questions her guilt after two at…

  • Bonus Pod - Crush

    Darcey Youngman told this story in March 2025 when the theme was Class. The audience in Belfast’s Black Box loved it. Bonus Pod - Crush Tenx9 Download

  • Pod 302 - English

    What better way to honour St George’s Day than true stories on the theme English: Ciaran Gallagher wonders what England has ever done to Ireland; Anjali Kusurkar connects with the Irish nuns through English; Barney Gribbin wonders if his b…

  • Pod 301 - Going Strong Pt 2

    To mark getting over 300 podcasts, here are three wonderful stories from the archives: Caroline Orr knows when a date is going nowhere; Brian Ammons falls in love for the first time but it goes nowhere; Louise Nealon meets 007 & it goes so…

  • Pod 300 - Going Strong

    To celebrate Podcast 300, we’ve taken a deep dive into the tenx9 archive to 2017: Richard O’Leary makes two pilgrimages to Knock; Helen Killick was always too young for life; Pádraig Ó Tuama gets flustered by familial love. Paul is your ho…

  • Pod 299 - Class

    Three stories told at our brilliant March event in Belfast when the theme was Class : Bernie McDonald gets her heart broken twice; Stephen Magee applies practical measures to help his children with maths while Sharon Magee looks on & sees…

  • Bonus Pod - Cats & Dogs

    In October 2024, Ann-Marie Foster told this story at the Black Box when the theme was Care. Bonus Pod - Cats & Dogs Tenx9 Download

  • Pod 298 - Malawi Misadventure

    Three amazing & dark true stories from recent tenx9 events: Lisa Graham’s family faces an African adventure; Fergal McGuckin faces the Beast of Belfast ; Rosaline Callaghan is the Queen of the Castle. Paul is your host. Malawi Misadventure…

  • Pod 297 - Chemistry

    Three hilarious stories told at our collaboration with the NI Sci Fest: Don Gregory chooses family over his dream job; Fionnuala Close shocks her mother into saying a rosary; Paul Brady discovers the joys of chemistry. Paul is your host. C…

  • Pod 296 - Lost in France

    Three stories to beat the Winter blues told at Belfast’s Black Box: Melanie Bowden goes abroad but her dad pays the price; Joe Millican hears an intruder as he sleeps beneath the stars; Lorna Dunn knows something isn’t right despite the do…

  • Pod 295 - Polish Love Car

    Here are three stories from different events to put a spring in your step: Una Brogan decides to end a toxic relationship; Paul Whittington resolves a whiskey crisis in a bothy; Jakub Grogowski has a day out in Warsaw. Paul is your host. P…

  • Pod 294 - Moving

    It was a full house in Belfast’s Black Box for our January event when the theme was Moving: Rachel Smith gets a letter from a dead man; Laurie Randall’s sister is forced out of her home; Richard O’Leary goes in search of the potato in Chin…

  • Bonus Pod - Happy New Year

    Paul has a brief message ahead of a wonderful story told in Belfast in 2023 by first-timer Judith Sialanskaia. Bonus Pod - Happy New Year Tenx9 Download

  • Bonus Pod - Louise Nealon

    For our Black Box Christmas event, Louise Nealon told this wonderful story of Great-Aunt Peggy. Bonus Pod - Louise Nealon Tenx9 Download

  • Pod 293 - Christmas 2024 Live

    All I Want for Christmas was the December theme in Belfast’s Black Box. Here are some highlights including three stories: Lorraine Thompson torments her sister; Lisa Graham reunites with family; Terry McCartan just wants Xmas to be over. P…

  • Pod 292 - Portstewart Christmas 2024

    Step into Christmas with three festive true stories told at Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart on 6 Dec 2024: Fionnuala McNicholl breaks an ankle in the snow; Paul Hutchinson hunts a Christmas tree in the wild; Kate Murphy has some unusu…

  • Bonus Pod - Pat Scott

    When Pat Scott first gatecrashed tenx9 she had confused notions, when she returned it was no better as she mixed up Jane Austen, a strip club & a big gay night: enjoy this hilarious story told on 20 November 2024. Bonus Pod - Jane Austen T…

  • Pod 291 - Night

    With the days shortening, the theme for November’s event in Belfast’s Black Box was Night: Chris Stother made an intimidating journey; Siobhan McGuigan was living love’s young dream; Mylie Brennan learnt more than expected at summer camp.…

  • Pod 290 - Autumn in Limavady

    We returned to Limavady for Hallowe’en & had a wonderful evening. Here are three of the stories from that event: Mike Carlisle has instructions for dying; Gloria O’Connor goes commando in 5-star luxury & Julie Kipp asks for a haunting. Pau…

  • Bonus Pod - Ballybofey

    Mary McGonagle told this wonderful story on our October trip to Ballybofey in Donegal as part of the Frances Browne Literary Festival. A piece of living history. She appeared on the tenx9 podcast previously as Mary Johnston but she writes…

  • Pod 289 - Care

    Three stories on the theme Care told at Belfast’s Black Box on Weds 23 October 2024: Phyllis McKenna is shocked when a boy falls for her despite her glasses; Jack McAteer Wallace learns the art of care from his beloved granny; Rachel Milli…

  • Pod 288 - Homes of Donegal

    Three amazing stories from our first Donegal event at the Frances Browne Lit Fest in Ballybofey: Rosaline Callaghan has a terrifying encounter with a stranger; Elaine Bullock finds her perfect home in Donegal; Jim Livingstone remembers his…

  • Bonus Pod - Hot Stuff

    Ciaran McAlinden goes through a rite of passage as his mum makes a discovery - told at our Beauty evening in Belfast’s Black Box on 21 August 2024. Bonus Pod - Hot Stuff Tenx9 Download

  • Pod 287 - Lucky

    It was a Lucky night in Belfast’s Black Box on September 25th with amazing stories & a significant birthday: Bill Blinco gets a call in a million; Maggie McCarney’s horse ride goes out of control; Paul Hutchinson finds even Hitler can’t bu…

  • Bonus Pod - Barney Takes Flight

    Here’s a one-off story from tenx9 regular Barney Gribbin which he told in October 2023 when the theme was Scared to Death. Bonus Pod - Barney Takes Flight Tenx9 Download

  • Pod 286 - Summer Dreams

    As a farewell to the summer - on this side of the world at least - here are three wonderful stories told in July & August in Belfast’s Black Box: Pat Scott is left breathless on the dance floor; Gloria O’Connor belts out the bangers in the…

  • Pod 285 - Beauty

    It was 21 August 2024 & the Black Box hosted an evening of Beauty : Clare Duffy broke hearts with her tale of heartbreak; Rhonda Glasgow took us to Diet Club where she was a novice; Mylie Brennan introduced us to Marilyn, the most beautifu…

  • Pod 284 - Holiday 2024

    Three Holiday stories from our Belfast evening in Belfast’s Black Box: Richard O’Leary has a lifelong thing for Peig; Jasmin Awoodun takes us to Mauritius in search of the pink pigeon; Dave Thompson wonders who just boarded the Beatles bus…

  • Bonus Pod - Pot Pourri

    In the spirit of the season, here’s a bonus pod with Steffi Davies. Steffi told this story in the Black Box in August 2023 when the theme was One Summer. Bonus Pod - Pot Pourri Tenx9 Download

  • 283 - One Photo 2024

    Three stories from our wonderful collaboration with Belfast Photo Festival in the Black Box, 26 June: James Ellson reveals a dark past; Dolores Vischer is lost for words on meeting her idol & Paul Brady buries his dad but not without laugh…

  • 282 - Love Ulster

    Tenx9 teamed up with Ulster University LGBT Staff Network for stories of Love : Denise MacDermott pops the question in Dresden; Anthony McCoubrey visits the cobbles of Coronation St; Maria Perkins shows her love with food, unfortunately. P…

  • Bonus Pod - Do Cats Have Souls?

    From our Pets evening on 23 April, Jane Searle poses a deeply philosophical question. Paul does the introduction. Bonus Pod - Do Cats Have Souls? Tenx9 Download

  • 281 - Troubles

    Three stories from our Troubles-themed evening at the Black Box on 29 May 2024: Liam Kelly gets involved in recreational rioting; Ciaran McAlinden is a good citizen caught up in an IRA attack; Deirdre Morrison meets the man who had been mi…