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Amnesty Stage to debut at Electric Picnic’s Mindfield

Electric Picnic is set to feature the Amnesty Stage for the first time, as well as the return of the Puball Gaeilge Irish language stage, it was announced today.

Set among the ancient trees on the lawns of Stradbally Hall, the MindField spoken word arena will feature literary readings, political debate, performance poetry, science experiments, inspiring talks, news quizzes, public conversations and much more.

Economist, author and broadcaster David McWilliams will host three special events at the Leviathan tent. ‘Political Cabaret’ events will feature panels of international and Irish journalists, academics, politicians and commentators.

Topics will include: ‘Does Ireland Really Need a Second Republic?’ with Fintan O’Toole (The Irish Times), Carol Hunt (Sunday Independent) and Paddy Cosgrave (F.ounders); ‘How Can We Solve the Global Economic Crisis?’ hosted by ‘Gunther Grun of the ECB’ (aka comedian Barry Murphy) with David McWilliams, Peter Antonioni (University College London, Economics for Dummies), Professor Brian Lucey (TCD), Norah Casey (Entrepreneur, ‘Dragon’s Den’) and Margaret E Ward; ‘Democracy Next? : Revolution in the Muslim World’ with Libyan-Irish officer of the Tripoli Brigade, Hussam Najjair, who fought in Libya and more recently in Syria; Mary Fitzgerald, foreign correspondent of The Irish Times and others, all with musical satire from Paddy Cullivan (‘Late Late Show’ House Band).

RTÉ’s Miriam O’Callaghan will host a public conversation in association with Ashoka, which follows on from their Change Nation events earlier this year at Farmleigh and Dublin Castle featuring social entrepreneurs including Brendan Dunford (Burren Beo), Krystian Fikert (MyMind), Sharon Kielthy (McKinsey) and Erin Fornoff (Ashoka).

Sunday’s Ryan Tubridy’s Picnic Brunch takes a jaundiced look at the Sunday papers and a review of the festival in the company of Miriam O'Callaghan and Paddy Cullivan.

The Electric Picnic arts and music festival takes place in Stradbally, Co Laois, from Friday August 31 to Sunday September 2. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.

Wish you could follow the Electric Picnic live - the pictures, the music, the atmos? Now you can… We're live blogging from this year's Picnic! Come back and visit us then :) Home

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