Spoken word and performance mark strong line-up at Electric Picnic 2025

Electric Picnic takes place from the 29th to 31st August this year at Stradbally Hall, Co. Laois, Ireland. Hosted by Marty Mulligan and David Hynes, the Word Stage promises a packed programme from early Friday until late Sunday night, moving from poetry and spoken word by day into a wide range of genres by night. Performances will include Feefs, award-winning poet Mel White, Annie & The Witness, and Louise Fazackerly.

International voices feature prominently, with Baleia Baleia Baleia from Portugal, bbft with an electronic rave-punk set, Scally & The Ballyboyz, and Kilkenny’s The Donnys. Poets include Ben MacCaoilte, Tugce Tekhanli (Cyprus), Fiona Re (Germany), Eva Mary Lucy (Belgium), and All Things Eve (Germany). Internet sensation Dimplestilskin also debuts her comic, commentary-driven style.

Night-time performances feature Bipolar Empire’s return after 15 years, improv from Beat Club, and Zombie performing the hits of The Cranberries. Other acts include Phil Lynch, Floro, Bird Alone, Blue Lilac, Fieldsy, Áine Tyrell, Eoin Begley & friends, Some Ones Sons, Briars, The Boys from The Black Stuff, and Ruaile Buaile.

Guest curator Jan Brierton presents a wide-ranging programme under the banner of Wild Words. As part of her curation, Róisín Ingle’s guest on The Women’s Podcast will be newly minted Irish citizen Rosie O’Donnell. Poetry and performance will be provided by Katriona O’Sullivan and Hilda Fay, Thomas Kane Byrne and Joseph McGuckan, and Gearóid Farrelly, and British writer Henry Normal, presenting An Alphabet of Storms.

The stage will also feature a rare performance of The Rentwoman, Brendan Behan’s lost first play, with Neili Conroy and Jimmy Murphy. Paris-based collective Spilling the Beans brings bilingual storytelling, while How to Gael hosts a live salon as Gaeilge.

The ArtLot stage has announced details of its 10th anniversary programme at this year’s Electric Picnic, highlighting its reputation as a champion of emerging Irish spoken word and performance talent. Among the names featured are The Vagabond Queen and Philip Kenny, alongside a host of collectives and solo artists shaping Ireland’s live poetry and performance landscape.

Collectives play a central role in this year’s line-up. A-Musing brings its familiar blend of humour and reflection, featuring Liam McCabe, Joe Carroll, Holly Hughes, Cormac Fitzgerald, and David Hynes, with special guest Alan Nolan. Dublin’s Finest, a grassroots music and poetry night co-led by Jimbo Dillon and Julie O’Brien, continues its mission of providing artists with a supportive stage while ensuring fair pay for performers.

HOLD THAT KEEP IT!, founded by Kev Kennedy in Phibsboro’s Back Page, showcases some of its standout performers, including Dom Byrne, Eva Mary Lucy, and Mark Maxwell. Port Sounds, an open mic night established in Portarlington in 2023, offers space to first-timers and seasoned voices alike. Rising Tide, known for curating sell-out shows and collaborations with Dublin UNESCO, also joins the line-up.

Podcasts and cross-genre platforms also feature strongly. The Poetry’s Dead Podcast brings hosts Ryan and Leon to Electric Picnic for a live session with guest Simon Jones of The Verve. Slip of the Tongue, founded in 2022 by Wayne Power, mixes spoken word, music, drag, and comedy in a chaotic but supportive environment. The Poetry Divas, led by Kate Dempsey and joined by Triona Walsh, Maeve O’Sullivan, and Niamh Bagnall, return with their distinctive mix of page and stage. The Poetry Kiln Collective, recently published in anthology form with Stage to Page, will be represented by David Hynes, Annie Peter, Mikey Cullen, and guest Fiona Re.

Music also plays a part. Dave Peyton and his Toxic Trio bring a dynamic set, following years of live performances alongside acts such as The Frames, The Pogues, The Hothouse Flowers, and international names including Avril Lavigne and The Editors. In addition, the programme highlights an extraordinary real-life story: Mayo man Johnny Coyne, who recently completed the world’s first expedition kayaking from Dublin to Istanbul, will share his journey of 5,000km across 13 countries.

A wide range of individual performers are also scheduled, including: Adam Cullen, Andy Porter, Anne Tannam, Annie Logan, Anthony Sullivan, Barry Currivan, Cat Brogan, Clare O’Reilly, Damien Donnelly, Daniel Breslin, Dermott Fleming, Frank Rafferty, Geoff Finan, James William Dillon, Jimmy O’Connell, Kemi George Simpson, Leon Dunne, Lizzy Byrne, Nicola Clair, Sean Corrigan, Sean Ruane, Sean Walsh, Sheila Ryder, Tess McKevitt, Tom Tierney, and Wish I Was A Warrior.

For more information and to check out other artists playing at Electric Picnic 2025: www.electricpicnic.ie/artists/