Cartoons with a strong water safety message, drawn by leading Irish cartoonists, are set to appear across Galway City centre this week.
The cartoons go on display today and tomorrow Thursday and Friday (18 and 19 July ), in the run-up to World Drowning Prevention Day on Thursday 25 July, and mark an exciting collaboration between Galway Cartoon Festival and Water Safety Ireland.
Cartoons by Mick O’Hara (co-creator of Zig and Zag and Podge and Rodge ), Graeme Keyes (The Phoenix, Private Eye, Irish Daily Mail ), and Richard Chapman (Galway Advertiser, Galway City Tribune, The Phoenix, Private Eye ) will be on display in the windows of Tigh Neachtain and Thomas Dillon’s jewellers (Quay Street ); Nelly’s boutique (Cross Street ); and Cava and Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop (Middle Street ).
Galway Cartoon Festival was contacted by Water Safety Ireland to get cartoonists to create works which could provide a humorous and engaging way of conveying the importance of water safety.
“The message of the cartoons speaks to some of the most common causes for water accidents,” says Roger Sweeney, Deputy CEO of Water Safety Ireland. “The majority of people that drown never had any intention of getting into the water, so the messages are ‘Stay away from the edge’, ‘Wear a lifejacket, ‘Beware of rip currents’.”
As a result, the cartoons are about encouraging viewers to be aware and to take a responsible attitude when around the sea, rivers, and lakes.
“Water safety is all about making people stop and think, and that’s also what cartoons are for,” say Margaret Nolan and Richard Chapman, of Galway Cartoon Festival. “A safety message doesn’t have to be straight-faced, any more than a social one does. What’s important is that you remember it.”
Each cartoon will be accompanied by promotional material about water safety. The cartoons will be on display for one week. On Thursday 25 they will be auctioned off to raise funds for water safety charity and the Galway Cartoon Festival.
Galway Cartoon Festival 2024, curated and organised by Margaret Nolan, will take place from 4 - 9 October. The festival programme will be launched in August.
