The countdown is well and truly on for Electric Picnic 2024, with festival goers crossing fingers and toes for a repeat of last year's stellar weather.
This glitter-filled weekend has already announced an exciting schedule of music acts, with pop icon Kylie Minogue, Belfast hip-hop trio Belfast, and DJ Peggy Gou all in the mix.
Today it has been revealed that Stradbally will be shaking with laughter as an all-star line-up of stand-ups enter the comedy tent.
International names include the hilarious Russell Howard, the witty Katherine Ryan, Love Island narrator Iain Stirling, and Maisie Adam - a rising star on the UK comedy scene who is quickly becoming a household name.
Leading the very strong home charge is one of the world’s best-loved stand-up comedians, Ardal O’Hanlon, the mighty Deirdre O’Kane, Irishman Abroad podcaster Jarlath Regan, as well as viral sensations Emma Doran, Garron Noone, and Enya Martin.
Two of Northern Ireland’s biggest comics make the cross-border trek, Diona O’Doherty, the only female permanent panelist on BBC NI’s The Blame Game and taxi driver turned comedian Paddy McDonnell will amaze and enthrall in equal measure.
Comedy fans the length and breadth of the country will be well up-to-speed on the bona fides of stalwarts like Eric Lalor, Bernard Casey, Kevin McGahern, Patrick McDonnell, Fred Cooke, Shane Clifford, John Colleary, Paul Marsh, Damian Clark, Anna Clifford and Joe Dowlin.
There will also be some new faces on the Comedy Stage, with Sofia Wren, Michael Sable, Stephen Ryan, Sharon Mannion, Aoife Dunne, John Doran, Ali Fox and social media sensation Peter McGann making their EP debut.
Of course, a comedy circus like this needs a ringmaster par excellence and who better to act as MC and host for the weekend than the loveable rogue that is Karl Spain.
The Comedy Stage opens at 1.30pm on Saturday August 17th and Sunday August 18th and runs until 9pm each day - find out more here.
