Heavy band of rain unlikely to dampen Electric Picnic spirits

THE THREE-day Electric Picnic music and arts festival in Stradbally, Co Laois, gets under way today, with predictions that campers may experience some rain on their first night under the stars.

Meteorologist Joan Blackburn said the weather would be “largely dry with reasonable temperatures of 17 to 18 degrees, with a bit of drizzle”, but a heavy band of rain was expected tonight which would last until about noon tomorrow.

“If it hasn’t cleared by then it will have by early afternoon. It will be drier for the rest of Saturday though the temperatures won’t be any great shakes – about 15 or 16 degrees. It will be showery again Sunday afternoon.

“So there will be two spells of rain for the picnic – Friday night, all night. And Sunday afternoon.”

Gates open at 9am with The Little Smoke – the first of the weekend’s acts – taking to the stage in the Cosby tent at 3pm.

Over the weekend there will be 200 performers playing on 17 stages. Some 4,000 staff are involved in setting up the festival and 80 food stalls are on site.

Organisers forecast that some 100,000 cups of coffee will be sold and 180,000 pints of beer pulled. Just 650 bottles of champagne will be consumed and a total of 800 portable toilets are waiting to serve festival-goers.

Gardaí are advising people to use public transport or car pool where possible. Minister of State for Public Transport Alan Kelly echoed the call urging attendees to “leave the car at home if you can”.

According to the AA, delays can be expected on the N80 Portlaoise to Carlow road, on the M8 Cork to Dublin road at junction four Urlingford, and on the M7 Dublin to Limerick road southbound at junction 16 Portlaoise east and northbound at junction 17 Portlaoise centre.

All car parks around the site will be clearly marked and free. They will be accessed via the Abbeyleix-Cork road. Campervans, which could access the site from yesterday, should do so via the Timahoe road only. Disabled access, and family camping and parking access, are also via Timohoe Road.

Bus Éireann is operating bus services from Dublin, Galway and Cork. Dublin buses will operate from 9am today until 6pm, leaving from Custom House Quay. They will run from 10am tomorrow and from 11am on Sunday. The fare is €28 return.

From Galway, buses leave at noon today from Eyre Square and the fare is €35 return. Buses leave Parnell Place in Cork at 8am today, with a return fare of €45.

For buses from Limerick contact kellytravel.ie. From Sligo, Longford and Leitrim contact fureysofsligo.com.

The nearest train station is in Portlaoise, a 15-minute drive from the festival. Shuttle buses will run from the station to the festival, at €5 each way. Bike racks for cyclists will be available at gate number one.