Thursday October 1st
FELTING ART WORKSHOP
LIV Vintage Studios, Fagan Court Offices, 3 Lower Cross Street, H91 W27D
2.30-3.25pm. Places limited, €10 for materials.
Ever felt a cartoon? Well now you can felt your own!
Turn wool into faces with the skills of felting and embroidery stitching. Caricature your family and friends in the cuddliest way possible, or just create your own hairy little character. Felting workshop led by Margaret Nolan with stitching by Olivia Lavelle.
SEQUENTIAL ART WITH JOEY MASON*
Sub-City, Unit 12 Corbett Court, Williamsgate Street, H91 W6XP
3.30-4.30pm. Free entry, Places limited
Learn visual storytelling from a Hollywood pro. Joey Mason, who creates cartoons and comic books as well as storyboards for major movies, will give this masterclass.
ARTIST MEET AND GREET
Tigh Neachtain, 17 Cross St, H91 F9F7
4.30pm. Free entry
Guests’ rendezvous, with pints and pencils. Bring along a sketchbook, meet the artists, and join in our first casual drawing session.
FESTIVAL LAUNCH!
Mick Lally Theatre, Druid Lane, H91 N5X9
6.00pm. Free entry
Come and help us celebrate our 10th anniversary! Join us in the foyer of Galway’s world-famous Druid Theatre for the speeches and announcements, not to mention cartoons and refreshments.
FESTIVAL CLUB
The Mechanics’ Institute, Middle Street, H91 XT6P
9.00pm-Late. Free entry
Hang out with our guests and other cartoonists at our official club, which takes place in the Mechanics’ Institute (next to Dough Bros), an honest-to-goodness actual clubhouse that dates back to 1837. Here we’ll gather in the evening to draw, celebrate and relax after our hard day of drawing, celebrating and relaxing.
Open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday.
Friday October 2nd
COFFEE WITH DRAWING + “TARRAING” LAUNCH
Plámás, 9 Dominick St Upper, H91 X266
10.00am. Free entry
Meet other recovering artists, and start the day with caffeine and maybe a sketch or two. And while you’re here, join us for the launch of this year’s Tarraing É i nGaeilge, our Irish language cartoon exhibition. Bígí linn!
THE FALL OF THE PHOENIX*
Kennys Bookshop & Art Galleries, Liosbán Retail Park, H91 N5P8
11.30am. Free entry
For over forty years, the late lamented Phoenix magazine was Ireland’s main outlet for topical cartoons. We honour its memory with an exhibition of favourite gags taken from its regular artists.
GALWAY CARTOON FESTIVAL 10-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE
Galway City Museum Tourist Centre, Spanish Parade, H91 CX5P
1.00-2.00pm. Free entry
It’s hard to believe we’ve been doing this for a decade now. In that time the Galway Cartoon Festival has grown from a single show into a major international event devoted to cartoonists and cartooning, the only one of its kind in Ireland.
In celebration, we bring you a selection from the thousands of cartoons we’ve exhibited over that time. In this one show we attempt to represent most of the global themes we’ve covered, the wonderful guests we’ve welcomed and, of course, our favourite gags.
FREEDOM WALL
St Nicholas’ Railings, Church Lane, H91 PY20
2.00pm. Free entry
You can help us paste up the first drawings to our Freedom Wall.
Begun by a group of NGOs including Europeans Without Borders, Reporters Without Borders, and Cartooning for Peace, the first Freedom Wall in Paris inspired young volunteers, many from underprivileged neighbourhoods, to get involved in raising awareness about freedom of expression. Following their example, we will cover a wall in Galway – or this time, a set of historic railings – with cartoons on the theme of freedom.
If you’re interested in contributing, send us drawings on the theme as digital images. We will print them out as large as we can and paste them to our wall. The project will remain open and be added to continuously throughout the Festival. Entries to: info@galwaycartoonfestival.ie
FROM THE FLEMISH MASTERS TO THE COMIC STRIP
BELGIAN ART HISTORY IN CARTOONS
Galway Chamber, Commerce House, Merchants Road, H91 C8K1
3.00-4.30pm. Free entry
Despite its small size, Belgium has made an extraordinary contribution to European art history. Belgian art is as mysterious as a painting by Magritte, refined as the Clear Line technique of Hergé, as folksy as Bruegel, and as playful as The Smurfs. Whether on canvas, in text, with music, or in comic form, Belgian art is characterized by craftsmanship, imagination, absurdity, and a touch of irony.
This travelling exhibition, organised by the European Cartoon Centre in Kruishoutem, introduces the general public and cartoon lovers to a sample of Belgian cartoons, and at the same time stimulates curiosity about Belgium’s rich and varied art history.
The following Belgian cartoonists feature in the exhibition:
Philippe Bossens, Marc De Bel, Leon De Borger, Luc Descheemaeker, Hans Dierick, Raphaël Donay, Nikola Hendrickx, Patrick Heymans, Tony Houbrechts, Jean-Claude Salemi, Stijn Lauwers, Marc Ghijsels, Jan Op de Beeck, Stefaan Provijn, Constantin Sunnerberg, Tony Tasco, Wouter Van Ghysegem, Norbert Van Yperzeele, Trui Vanden Berghe, Eric Vandenberghe, Bert Vanstiphout, Francois Veldeman, Luc Vernimmen and Geert Verscheure-Stefaan Veys.
MAIN EXHIBITION LAUNCH
Town Hall Theatre, Courthouse Square, H91 H3C2
5.00-6.00pm. Free entry
HAVING A LAUGH
We asked cartoonists all around the globe of every creed, colour and shoe size to send us their latest works. We present to you this snapshot of cartooning in the world right now.
Normally we hold a themed exhibition, but this time – in celebration of a decade – we threw away the rulebook. Now we’re just having a laugh.
FEATURED IRISH CARTOONIST: FERGUS BOYLAN
Every festival we spotlight an Irish cartoonist worthy of your attention, and this time it’s Fergus Boylan. Also known as “Infinite Guff”, Fergus comes from Portrush but now lives in Bray. In 2020 he was the UK’s Young Cartoonist of the Year, followed by Political Cartoonist of the Year in 2024. As well as cartoons and animation, he also created the hit “Catholics and Protestants” card game!
MARTIN ROWSON LIVE!
LIV Vintage Studios, Fagan Court Offices, 3 Lower Cross Street, H91 W27D
7.00-8.00pm (Doors 6.30pm). Free entry, places limited.
Galway’s favourite Guardian cartoonist returns with another of his amazing stand-up performances. Join us in this intimate venue as an outstanding artist, performer and all-round good guy dissects the vanity and venality of power. It may be messy.
FESTIVAL CLUB
The Mechanics’ Institute, Middle Street, H91 XT6P
8.30pm-Late. Free entry
Where the wild things are. (See Thursday for details)
Saturday October 3rd
COFFEE WITH DRAWING
Plámás, 9 Dominick St Upper, H91 X266
10.00am. Free entry
Start the day with coffee and a good sketch.
WHERE’S JOEY?
All Around the Town
11.00am. Free entry
Follow the clues to find our elusive artist and win a prize! Cartoonist and storyboard artist Joey Mason is out there somewhere. Can you chase him down?
SMALL CRANE EXTRAVAGANZA*
Bell Book and Candle, Small Crane, Sea Road, H91 DV76
12.00pm. Free entry
MICK O’HARA (MICKO)
Though better known as one of the creators of Zig and Zag and other prodigious puppet phenomena, Micko started out as a cartoonist. In recent years he has returned to the artform that formed him, and we present a selection of his latest work.
GLENN MARSHALL
Longtime contributor to the festival but visiting us for the very first time, Glenn Marshall is not just a brilliant cartoonist (Private Eye, The Spectator, The Oldie, Punch) but also a street performer. Here, with your help, he will recreate the Wooden Horse of Troy!
FABRICE MATRAY
A frequent visitor to our festival, French children’s illustrator Fabrice Matray will lead children in creating drawings that we’ll paste onto our Freedom Wall.
LUNCH + PASTING
St Nicholas’ Railings, Church Lane, H91 PY20
1.30pm. Free entry
Take a break for lunch, and maybe help us paste drawings onto the Freedom Wall. (See Friday for details)
NICOLAS VADOT
PUTTING THE WORLD AT A DISTANCE TO MAKE IT MORE BEARABLE
Galway Chamber, Commerce House, Merchants Road, H91 C8K1
2.00pm. Free entry
This has been Nicolas Vadot’s mantra for the past 33 years as a leading professional political cartoonist.
Nicolas was born in France to a French father and British mother. He has an Irish grandfather, an Australian wife, and lives in Belgium. There he has worked for weekly newsmagazine Le Vif since 1993, and daily finance newspaper L’Echo since 2008. He also draws live for Franco-German TV channel Arte’s 28 Minutes show. He publishes around 600 cartoons a year and regularly appears on Belgian TV and radio as well as on France 24 for Cartooning for Peace.
The 40-minute presentation, followed by a quick question time, will display cartoons spanning the years from the collapse of the Berlin Wall, when Vadot started cartooning as an art school student in Brussels, to today’s Trump, climate change and AI-driven(-crazy) world.
ARE WOMEN CARTOONISTS DIFFERENT?
SASKIA GHEYSENS
Galway Chamber, Commerce House, Merchants Road, H91 C8K1
3.00-4.00pm. Free entry
Saskia Gheysens heads a delegation to our festival from the European Cartoon Centre in Kruishoutem, Belgium, here to build some transnational cartoon bridges. In this talk she shares her thoughts on the challenges faced by women in this profession.
ROUND TABLE 2026
WHAT NOW FOR IRISH SATIRE?
Galway Chamber, Commerce House, Merchants Road, H91 C8K1
4.30-5.30pm. Free entry
Join us for a public discussion on the future of cartooning and political satire in a post-Phoenix Ireland. Speakers will include prominent cartoonists from Ireland and abroad.
PERSEPOLIS*
Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, The Cornstore, Middle Street, H91AH7A
6.00pm. Free entry
We show the critically lauded animated film, based on the autobiographical comic by the late Marjane Satrapi about a girl’s life in revolutionary Iran.
FESTIVAL CLUB
The Mechanics’ Institute, Middle Street, H91 XT6P
8.30pm-Late. Free entry
It’s all fun and games. (See Thursday for details)
Sunday October 4th
FERRY TO INIS OÍRR
Bus leaves from 1 Victoria Place, Merchants Road, H91 FD72
9.00am. Book with Aran Island Ferries – www.aranislandferries.com
Join us for a boat ride to Inis Oírr (Inisheer) for Tarraing É i nGaeilge, the island leg of the festival, featuring drawing sessions, our artists in residence, and Irish-language events. Drawing aboard the boat – waves permitting…
DRINK AND DRAW
Tigh Ned
12.30 – 3.00pm. Free entry
Meet up with our guests and other island adventurers in this lovely pub to relax, have the craic, and draw the things.
LUNCH
3.00pm
Because sometimes we forget to eat.
GLENN MARSHALL CAN’T DRAW
Áras Éanna Arts Centre
4.00-5.00pm. Free entry
In a change from the festival giving drawing workshops to children, this time the kids will teach cartoonist Glenn Marshall how to draw properly! All ages welcome, but small children in particular will love this.
THREE ISLAND EXHIBITION OPENINGS
Áras Éanna Arts Centre
6.00-8.30pm. Free entry
TARRAING É I NGAEILGE
Le seacht mbliana anuas táimid ag cur taispeántas bliantúil de chartúin nua i nGaeilge le chéile agus á thaispeáint i gCathair na Gaillimhe agus sa Ghaeltacht. Seolfar Tarraing É i nGaeilge in Inis Oírr Dé Domhnaigh, 4 Deireadh Fómhair, ag 6pm. Taispeánfar réimse leathan stíleanna agus ábhar ó chartúnaithe ar fud na hÉireann, chomh maith le cartúnaithe ó áiteanna níos faide i gcéin.
Every festival we gather new cartoons in the Irish language and exhibit them both in Galway city and here in the Gaeltacht. Enjoy our selection of “Gags as Gaeilge” – there will be many voluntary translators if that happens not to be a language you speak! Also you can join in our Graffiti Wall, where famous cartoonists mess up the place.
DEAN PATTERSON
You may already be familiar with Dean, a prolific and gifted Irish cartoonist (Private Eye, The Phoenix, The Critic) and one of the longest-serving supporters of our festival. After considerable debate we decided to give him an artist residency on Inis Oírr. Assuming he didn’t fall off the edge, come and see what he got up to.
BRADY IZQUIERDO RODRÍGUEZ
Our second resident artist this festival, Brady is a cartoonist and illustrator from Cuba with more than 15 years of experience. He regularly publishes in the magazines OnCubaNews, El Toque, and La Joven Cuba. He is a member of Cartooning for Peace and Cartoon Movement, has had 14 personal exhibitions, won 35 international awards, and illustrated 13 books with publishers in Cuba, Ecuador and the United States. He also presents work created on the island.
DRINK AND DRAW
Tigh Ned
9.00pm-Late. Free entry
Cartoon sketching session, now with extra mad.
Monday October 5th
SCHOOL WORKSHOPS
(Local schools, not open to the public)
10.00-11.00am, 11.30am-12.30pm
WHERE’S JOEY?
All Around the Island
12.30pm. Free entry
Join the treasure hunt! Find artist Joey Mason and win a prize. He can’t have gotten far on Inis Oírr…
BOAT BACK TO GALWAY
The Pier
4.30pm
One show that’s really not to be missed.
LUC DESCHEEMAEKER
The Mechanics’ Institute, Middle Street, H91 XT6P
8.00pm. Free entry
Luc Descheemaeker, aka “O-Sekoer”, is one of Belgium’s best-known cartoonists and has won more than 300 international awards since the start of his career in 1978, receiving the highest distinction at the 2018 World Press Cartoon contest in Caldas da Rainha, Portugal. His work appears in the “From the Flemish Masters to the Comic Strip” exhibition in Galway Chamber (See Friday for details).
Tonight, Luc will give us a talk about his cartoons and humorous photography.
FESTIVAL CLUB
The Mechanics’ Institute, Middle Street, H91 XT6P
9.00pm-Late. Free entry
Hang loose with cartoonists. (See Friday for details)
Tuesday October 6th
COFFEE WITH DRAWING
Plámás, 9 Dominick St Upper, H91 X266
11.00am. Free entry
Withdrawing? Coffee!
SCHOOLS TOUR
(Not open to the public)
12.00-1.30pm
SCHOOLS WORKSHOP
(City Museum Education Room. Not open to the public)
2.00-3.00pm
PARTING SHOTS
Tigh Neachtain, 17 Cross St, H91 F9F7
3.30pm. Free entry
A final farewell meet-up in Galway’s loveliest and most cartoon-friendly pub. Here we will take leave of whoever among our guests and friends is still standing, and raise a toast to our first ten years as a festival. Sláinte.
