Abú Wear started in November 2020 by husband and wife team Ryan and Stephanie Barnes. Now situated in Smithfield Market in the city centre, it is based around promoting the Irish language and capturing the resistance, resilience and respect of the people in Belfast.

The couple sell a range of clothing including street wear, sport and gym wear, clothing for Irish dancing and clothing emblazoned with the Irish language.

Abú Wear are also the official supplier of the Hirbawi Palestinian kufiya – Palestinian scarves – which are produced by the last Palestinian owned factory in occupied Palestine.

Ryan explained how people from the factory had come to visit Belfast recently and were overwhelmed with the support the people of the city had for Palestine and its struggle.

“Our collaboration with Hirbawi goes beyond a simple business partnership, it’s about the joining of two cultures, both of which have faced significant challenges yet remain resilient and hopeful for a brighter future," said Ryan. "When we stock Hirbawi Kufiyas we are proud to contribute to the preservation of Palestinian heritage and show solidarity with their ongoing struggle."

FOR SALE: A selection of the traditional and iconic Palestinian kufiya
2Gallery

FOR SALE: A selection of the traditional and iconic Palestinian kufiya

With regards to the Irish language and Gaelic games Abú Wear are also sponsors of Naomh Éanna GAC and wish to extend their sponsorship to more GAA clubs to expand their support of Gaelic games.

In January 2023 the couple opened their bi-lingual store in Smithfield Market. Ryan and Stephanie said they want to use their space to promote the Irish language and the efforts to rejuvenate it within the city centre.

Ryan said: “We want this to be a space for the promotion of the Irish language as well as Irish culture and arts. We also want to use it to platform local artists and musicians to come here and showcase their talent and for it to be a space the community can come and engage with the language.”

Ryan and Stephanie also expressed concern over Belfast City Council’s plans as featured in the 2019 Inner North West Masterplan which shows Smithfield Market demolished and replaced by a new building. Business owners inside Smithfield Market last week expressed concern to Andersonstown News regarding the council’s plans and the upcoming deadline for a developer to come on board.

Stephanie and Ryan said they weren’t informed of these plans when they began to let space for Abú Wear in January this year and Ryan said he believed the Council should invest in Smithfield and promote it as a growing space in the city centre.

“Smithfield Market is an iconic building in our city, it’s one of the last culturally significant buildings we still have in use and I think what we could do here [in Smithfield] is bring back hustle and bustle and a bit of life back to Smithfield and I think that collectively through small businesses we could work together to do that and if we got help from Belfast City Council to bring more funding back into Smithfield, then I think it could really improve Smithfield.”