Electric Picnic: Delays expected as thousands leave Stradbally

Army of campers, staff and performers on the move as festival closes for another year

The campsite: Some 47,000 tickets were sold for this year’s Electric Picnic festival in Stradbally, Co Laois
The campsite: Some 47,000 tickets were sold for this year’s Electric Picnic festival in Stradbally, Co Laois

Electric Picnic has concluded for another year and thousands of campers, staff and performers are have begun leaving Stradbally, Co Laois.

Gardaí have advised people travelling on the roads around the town to plan journeys in advance as disruptions to traffic are expected.

AA Roadwatch said that while delays are likely on Monday morning on the N80 Carlow/Portlaoise Road through Stradbally, there are no major blocks being reported.

The annual music and arts festival passed off without any major incidents according to the gardaí.

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People have been leaving the site since the early hours of the morning following the close of the festival by Florence and the Machine on the main stage.

An estimated 51,000 people were on site this year, which included some 47,000 festival goers, 2,000 performers and 2,000 staff.

Blur, Sam Smyth, Interpol and The Boomtown Rats were just some of the big name acts that took to the main stage over the weekend but there was something for everybody, from comedy fans and art lovers to yoga enthusiasts and foodies.

The diversity of the festival can be seen from the variety of acts. Comedians such as David O'Doherty and The Rubberbandits kept the mood light in the Comedy Tent, while other events included an abortion rights talk with Amnesty International's Colm O'Gorman, comedian Tara Flynn and journalist Carol Hunt.

Nora-Ide McAuliffe

Nora-Ide McAuliffe

Nora-Ide McAuliffe is an Audience Editor with The Irish Times