A young boy from West Belfast is over the moon after running his sweetie stall outside Féile an Phobail for the second year running.
Leo Corry, 12, first opened his stall near the Falls Park event last year with just £4 of his own money. He made just under £700 in a few days by selling sweets, crisps and drinks to those on their way to the event.
This year, Leo stepped things up a gear by having his own stall built and placed outside Belfast City Cemetery where he sold treats to passersby ahead of the festival's events on Monday, Saturday and Sunday.
Read more: West Belfast boy makes fortune after starting Féile sweetie stall with just £4
The youngster was able to beat his impressive earnings of last year, walking away with £890 after this year's Féile.
Leo first had the idea to set up his sweetie stall during the 2019 Féile, however, his mum Kathryn told him it would be best to hold off for a while due to his young age. After a difficult year last year and an ADHD diagnosis, the idea was "definitely on his mind" and so he began his sweetie shop at the 2021 festival.
This year, more people along the road caught on to Leo's idea of setting up a stall, which mum Kathryn said created a lovely community atmosphere in the area.
"There was a really great buzz in the area," she added.
"All the different stalls lit up that Falls Road. It just shows you, it wasn't just Falls Park, it was the entirety of the Falls Road that was buzzing and alive from the Féile.
"Leo is over the moon, he wasn't sure if he would make the same amount as last year. But exceeded that amount, he's just overwhelmed. I'm so proud of him, and I hope all the other people with stalls along the road had a good turn too."
Kathryn said things were slightly different this year, as Leo became more involved in the business side of things, focusing on turning a profit. He also had his own wooden stall created this year to help him stand out.
Kathryn said: "It was different this time because I sat out with him, he sits across the road from our house. Last year he was selling cartons of juice and crisps and stuff, this year he had more of a business head on him.
"We were taking a restock on what he sold the most of, and he was trying to work out how to buy things for a low price and how to sell it on to make a good profit. He was negotiating and bartering with people, he really loved doing all of that.
"I'm really proud of him. I went and got him a proper stall made and everyone was saying how class it looked. He was delighted at being able to sit behind it as if he was a real shopkeeper."
Last year, Leo spent his money on a new laptop, schoolbag, and other items for returning to school as well as donating some funds to charity. This year, he's hoping to take his family away for a trip while also passing some of the money on to charity again.
Kathryn added: "He said he wants to buy the family a wee night away, somewhere with a hot tub so we can all make some memories. He said he also wants to donate some money to the Noah Donohoe Foundation, because with him doing his stall on Saturday we couldn't go into the town and be there for the rally.
"It would mean a lot to us to be able to donate money to that as well, to let Fiona know we support her and the family as well.
"Everybody was coming up to him saying they remembered seeing him in Belfast Live last year, it's great for people to be remembering him.
"Last year he gave some of the money to St James' Farm. I always tell him you have to pay it forward, and make sure to do good."
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