Ireland's summer music festivals: A guide to line-ups, ticket prices, etc
Left, Electric Picnic; right, Iggy Pop and Billie Eilish.
Rod Stewart, My Therapist Ghosted Me, Olly Murs, The Frames, Bell X1, Christy Moore
Despite some doubts over its location, Live at the Marquee returns to its familiar site, in the shade of Páirc Uí Chaoimh, with an eclectic lineup where arguably the biggest names are Joanne McNally and Vogue Williams with their podcast My Therapist Ghosted Me — two of their three dates are sold out. Old favourites like Rod Stewart and the Frames mix with popstars like Mimi Webb and rapper Aitch over the month-long series of shows. A short stroll from Cork City, you’ll enjoy a marquee experience.
Various, from €49
Carl Cox, Amelia Lens, Belters Only
The dance and electronica festival returns to Belvedere House for an early summer fix. There’s plenty of local DJs — Life is a breeding ground for new talent — and an essential mix of dance genres to satisfy all tastes. Just make sure you leave something in reserve for the Sunday.
Weekend camping from €191.50
Central Cee, Slowthai, Kettama (Boiler Room set), Overmono, Eliza Rose
An electronic music/dance festival, Ava launched in 2015 and has a sister festival in London. Set in the stunning grounds of the Titanic Slipways, it says it’s the first large-scale music event to represent a modern Belfast, promoting the growing cultural movement in Northern Ireland and beyond.
Weekend from £95
Eric Prydz, Central Cee, Rina Sawayama, Slowthai, Honey Dijon
Returning for its 10th-anniversary edition on the June bank holiday, Forbidden Fruit will make the start of summer for many, though the lack of camping may be a deterrent to non-Dublin-based music fans. There’s plenty music, split across three stages, to enjoy, with extensive food stalls to enjoy too. It all usually ends before midnight too — no 3am forest raves here.
Weekend (no camping) from €139, day tickets announced at later date
SBTRKT, CMAT, Bombay Bicycle Club, Confidence Man
After an inaugural outing in 2022, Otherside returns to the banks of the River Boyne, bringing with it a comedy club, the Cobblestone trad stage pop-up, RISE Nordic Spa, promises of morning swims in the natural lake, a poolside cocktail bar, hot tub, sauna, and yoga. You might feel so reinvigorated that you’ll hang around Slane for Harry Styles at the castle on June 10.
Weekend camping from €165
Moderat, The Blessed Madonna, Kojaque, The Murder Capital, Denise Chaila, Kneecap
Returning as a slimmed-down experience last year — both in lineup and capacity — Body & Soul looks to leave you with an ‘experience’ over the summer solstice weekend — “equal parts wild party and restorative retreat”. It says that the theme of community takes centre stage this year with a three-day celebration of the diverse creative landscape of Ireland. There’s also a drag brunch, masquerade ball, and pamper gardens.
Weekend Camping from €239
Grace Jones, Hot Chip, Thundercat, Jon Hopkins, Leftfield
Set in beautiful Glendalough, Beyond the Pale takes place the same weekend as Body & Soul, which must be a disappointment for music fans as both festivals look great. BTP boasts a superb lineup, the addition of Grace Jones a real coup, while Candi Staton also features on her farewell tour. The festival also promises cabaret, comedy, theatre, art, installations, wellness, and yoga.
Weekend camping: From €215 (tier 3)/€235 (tier 4)
Anna Calvi, Mercury Rev, Pillow Queens, Hothouse Flowers, Gruff Rhys
Returning to Roscommon for its second year, but moving from Clonalis House to Lough Key Forest Park, Night and Day is appealing to families and perhaps an older clientele — it’s “strictly” over-20s, but under-12s go free when accompanied by an adult. Over the weekend, you can also partake in zip-lining courses, tree-top walks, and boat tours.
Day tickets from €90, weekend camping €155 (early bird)
A children-focused festival, Kaleidoscope has been running for a few years and, well, offers something for all the family. There are games like giant Jenga and hoola hoops spread around the grounds, cinema screens, circus performers, and even some musical acts, new and nostalgic, to send young and old home happy.
General Discount Family & Friends (2ad+2ch or 1ad+3ch) €62.82 each
Calvin Harris, Travis Scott, MK, Lil Uzi Vert
Over the years, Longitude has often boasted the best lineups of summer, focusing on rap music and rounding up a who’s who of the scene, with few other frills on offer. Which makes this year’s two-day lineup a little disappointing. Calvin Harris and Travis Scott will bring the party vibes, and there’s still some exciting talent across the bill such as Glorilla and Joey Bada$$, but it just doesn’t stand apart as much as in the past.
Day tickets from €99.90, weekend €199.50
Anne-Marie, The Coronas, Two Door Cinema Club, Inhaler, Annie Mac, Cian Ducrot
Catering to a younger, perhaps post-Leaving Cert audience, Indie23 has gathered an impressive lineup for its return to Mitchelstown. Anne-Marie sold out the 3Arena last year, Inhaler and Cork’s own Cian Ducrot are on a steep upwards trajectory, and Annie Mac brings the superstar DJ factor. If this is the last hurrah before heading off to college, what a way to go!
Day tickets from €64.50, weekend camping €179, non-camping €159
Iggy Pop, Jamie xx, Caribou, Villagers, Loyle Carner
One of the bigger festivals on the list with a capacity around 20,000-plus and featuring 18 stages of music, art, theatre, spoken word, comedy, and food, the standout feature is the Arcadia Spectacular 360-degree installation that has featured at Burning Man to Glastonbury. With a superb setup for kids, families mingle with perennial partiers on lush grounds - what more do you need?
Weekend camping from €235
A microfestival (capacity is around 1,000) on the grounds of beautiful Killyon Manor, ALS promises connections to your fellow festival-goer as well as the music. It’s been running since 2014 and, curated by the imperious Homebeat, the vibe is the best around and offers an alternative to the big hitters. Expect Irish up-and-comers, stellar DJs, a heady offering of the folk and trad scene, and, since the music ends at 6pm on Sunday, to wake up in your own bed on Monday morning.
Weekend camping from €215, Sunday tickets available later
Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi, The Killers, Fred Again, Steve Lacy, Niall Horan
Electric Picnic, with a capacity of about 80,000, is reaching Glastonbury levels in terms of tickets selling out quick sharp, with or without the headliners being announced. Said headliners this year are particularly strong. And with familiar areas offering such variety as Terminus (temple of dance), the rowdy parties of the Salty Dog, Mind & Body, and theatres for both acting and food, EP promises a jam-packed three days.
Weekend camping from €281 (sold out)
