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Gabriela Varsta, Aisling Ryan, Cristina Canta at electric picnic clean up

Ryans Cleaning celebrates 40 years in business

Family business Ryans Cleaning took a short break from its cleanup at Electric Picnic to celebrate 40 years in business.

Business • 08 Sep

The Health Services Executive has issued a warning about high strength MDMA pills in circulation at the Electric Picnic festival.

Warning over MDMA pills in circulation at Electric Picnic

The Health Service Executive has issued a warning about high strength MDMA pills in circulation at the Electric Picnic festival.

Ireland • 30 Aug

A collage image showing three young people at Electric Picnic

Watch: Election picnic - views on the race for the Áras

Electric Picnic - 'the ultimate rock n' roll circus' - is under way at Stradbally, Co Laois.

Presidential Election • 30 Aug

Business Journalist Adam Maguire talks with Katie and David on Behind the Story

Podcast: The booming live music scene and David has news

As thousands of music fans descend on Stradbally for Electric Picnic, Behind the Story takes a deep dive into the booming business of Ireland's live music scene.

Behind the Story • 29 Aug

GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 27: CMAT performing on the Pyramid Stage during day three of Glastonbury festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 27, 2025 in Glastonbury, England. Established by Michael Eavis in 1970, Glastonbury has grown into the UK's l

Big Ticket: Why music festivals are so expensive

The Irish summer is laden down with music and arts festivals and going along can cost quite a lot of money - but the idea that greedy promoters are ripping gig-goers off is generally wide of the mark, writes Adam Maguire.

Business • 31 Jul

Laois council gives green light for Electric Picnic 2025

Laois County Council has given the green light for the largest ever Electric Picnic festival to take place.

Business • 20 Jun

Barry Murphy, Energy Services and Renewables Director of Flogas, Rita Kirwan, Marketing and Communications Director of Flogas Ireland, John O'Connor, Managing Director of Highfield Energy and David McKenna, Head of Finance at Highfield Energy, at Highfiel

Flogas to power main stage at Electric Picnic

Flogas has announced its partnership with Electric Picnic, becoming the festival's official energy partner.

Business • 09 Jun

Mr Benn said Electric Picnic provides an enormous economic boost to the local economy.

Cost of staging Electric Picnic between €25m to €30m

CEO of Electric Picnic, Melvyn Benn has said that the cost of staging this year's Electric Picnic, where Hozier and Chappell Roan will be headlining, will be between €25m to €30m.

Business • 02 May

Tickets for the 2025 EP event went on sale on August 21 last and sold out within hours without any act confirmed at the time.

Electric Picnic looks to increase ticket numbers

The 2025 Electric Picnic is set to be the biggest event in the music festival's 22 year history

Business • 19 Mar

Festival organisers attributed the delays to a breakdown on the N80 involving a caravan being towed by another vehicle (Pic: Evan Murphy Keogh)

'Beyond a joke' - Complaints over EP traffic management

A number of complaints have been made about long delays leaving car parks at the Electric Picnic festival in Stradbally, Co Laois.

Ireland • 19 Aug 24

What issues matter most to festival-goers at Ireland's biggest arts and music event?

Election picnic: What issues matter to you?

History tells us that young people are typically less likely to vote than older electors. But with a general election on the horizon in Ireland, what issues matter most to festival-goers at Ireland's biggest arts and music event?

Ireland • 18 Aug 24

Around 75,000 people are expected at the festival

Warning of high strength MDMA at Electric Picnic festival

The Health Service Executive has issued a warning regarding high-strength MDMA pills in circulation at the Electric Picnic festival.

Ireland • 17 Aug 24

Electric Picnic has grown to be one of the biggest dates in Ireland's music and arts calendar.

75,000 descend on Stradbally as Electric Picnic kicks off

Ireland's biggest arts and music event Electric Picnic kicks off today as the festival celebrates its 20th birthday.

Ireland • 16 Aug 24

The HSE said there will be drug harm reduction services at the event in Stradbally, Co Laois (file pic)

Drug testing at 'safe spaces' at Electric Picnic

Gardaí have issued a warning to those attending Electric Picnic this weekend about the danger of illegal drugs following concern over the rise of synthetic drugs in Ireland.

Leinster • 15 Aug 24

The main stage at Electric Picnic is almost ready to welcome a host of artists. Image: Alf Harvey

Watch: Final preparations under way at Electric Picnic

Final preparations are under way at Stradbally, Co Laois ahead of Electric Picnic this weekend.

Electric Picnic • 13 Aug 24

Ballykilcavan Brewery claims that it has once again been denied the opportunity to sell its beer at this year's Electric Picnic Festival.

Local brewery denied opportunity to sell its beer at EP

The owners of a Co Laois artisan brewery have appealed for Government action on licensing rules to prevent local producers from being excluded from music and other festivals.

Business • 12 Aug 24

The Timahoe Male Choir is preparing for their first festival performance at Electric Picnic next month

'Vocal men's shed' preparing for Electric Picnic slot

Forget Taylor Swift at the Aviva or Coldplay at Croke Park, a male voice choir from Co Laois are busily preparing for their big gig of the summer.

Leinster • 06 Jul 24

Electric Picnic is the flagship event of Live Nation's main Irish subsidiary

Irish arm of Live Nation paid €4.5m dividend last year

The main Irish arm of live entertainment giant Live Nation paid out a dividend of €4.5m last year.

Business • 22 Sep 23

Tickets for the 2024 event - due to take place next August - are to go on sale at 9am this Friday with the line-up yet to be announced.

Electric Picnic firm paid out dividend of €7m last year

The company behind the Electric Picnic music festival last year paid out a dividend of €7m after a record 70,000 music fans attended the 2022 'comeback' event at Stradbally in Co Laois.

Business • 07 Sep 23

The National Ploughing Championships will return to Ratheniska this year (File pic: RollingNews.ie)

Ploughing approached by Govt over housing refugees

The National Ploughing Association has been approached by the Government to accommodate Ukrainian refugees once this year's three-day National Ploughing Championships is complete.

Ireland • 05 Sep 23

Organisers are putting the final touches in place to the Electric Picnic site

We would love 50/50 gender split at EP - festival chief

The Festival Director of Electric Picnic has said he would love to have an even representation of male and female headliners at the event.

Leinster • 29 Aug 23

Electric Picnic is one of Ireland's largest and best known festivals

Electric Picnic owner recorded £26.56m profit last year

The owner of the Electric Picnic festival returned to profit in 2021 to record pre-tax profits of £26.56 million.

Business • 12 Jan 23

A total of 46 samples were submitted and analysed in real-time at the event, with 42 samples seeing drug content found (File photo)

EP drug-testing pilot finds high strength MDMA samples

The results of a pilot drug-testing programme at this year's Electric Picnic music festival have been published by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Leinster • 25 Oct 22

The purple skull pills have been identified as high strength MDMA (file image)

HSE warns of 'high strength' drugs at Electric Picnic

The Health Service Executive has warned that "high strength" drugs have been identified at Electric Picnic, now underway in Stradbally, Co Laois.

Health • 02 Sep 22

Sinéad McNamara, Senior Biochemist, HSE National Drug Treatment Centre Laboratory Services at launch of pilot programme today (pic: Rollingnews)

Electric Picnic drug testing trial can save lives - HSE

The Health Service Executive has announced a pilot programme of anonymous drug testing at Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co Laois, next month.

Ireland • 18 Aug 22