Galway city children learn skill that could save a life
City children are being given a chance to learn a skill that could end up saving somebody's life.
Water Safety Ireland has launched its new Library Lifesaver Resource Kits in Galway, bringing practical, lifesaving water safety education directly into local communities.
The kits, now available to borrow through participating libraries, including Galway City Library, aim to make essential water safety skills accessible to schools, youth groups, and families.
Developed by Water Safety Ireland’s Education Team, the kits provide hands-on training in core rescue skills, including how to throw a ring buoy and what to do if someone is in difficulty in the water.
Each kit contains an instruction guide, three ring buoys, and three rescue ropes. A QR code on every box links users to Water Safety Ireland’s YouTube channel, where additional educational videos offer step-by-step demonstrations.
The initiative supports Water Safety Ireland’s mission to embed water safety awareness into everyday life by ensuring communities have access to clear, practical information. Education remains the most effective tool in preventing drownings.
Ireland records an average of 132 drownings each year
The programme’s first phase is now underway in Clare and Galway libraries, where the kits can be checked out just like a book. If successful, Water Safety Ireland hopes to expand the initiative nationwide.
Ireland records an average of 132 drownings each year. Through ongoing education programmes and new community-based initiatives like the Library Lifesaver kits, Water Safety Ireland aims to halve this number by 2027, in line with the National Drowning Prevention Strategy 2018–2027
The Library Lifesaver Resource Kits mark another step toward Water Safety Ireland’s long-term goal of creating an island of confident, informed swimmers.