Electric Picnic: CMAT said it — this is as good as we'll get

Mayo's footballers hit the headlines as they joined the Saw Doctors on stage — but it was Meath's own Dunboyne Diana who summed up the spirit of Ireland's favourite festival

On Saturday, CMAT told the packed crowd in front of the Electric Picnic main stage that EP was the first festival she attended and that playing the festival was 'probably as good as it’s going to get for me'. Picture: Debbie Hickey/Getty

Electric Picnic owner Melvin Benn said the popular festival aims to give all of the artists who play across its many stages a special ‘this is as good as it gets’ moment.

It was a nod to a comment made by Meath-born singer-songwriter CMAT during her Main Stage performance on Saturday night.

Benn told media yesterday afternoon that festival organisers want to give every single artist that same opportunity.

“CMAT said: ‘This is as good as it gets’, for her, and we want to give that to every single artist. I think we do give that to every artist. We give them that opportunity to get on a stage at Electric Picnic and feel like it’s not going to get any better, and I think that’s what Electric Picnic does and that’s what the Electric Picnic audience does.”

Members of Mayo's All-Ireland Football Championship winning team joined the Saw Doctors for an unforgettable celebration at Electric Picnic on Sunday. See link below for video. Picture: Ramsey Cardy

WET WET WET: Festivalgoers wade through the puddles during the final day of Electric Picnic 2026 at Stradbally in Co Laois. Picture: Evan Treacy/PA

After 22 years since its first instalment, the popular festival this time saw revellers enjoying an impressive line-up of international acts including Lewis Capaldi, Zara Larsson, Gorillaz, and Sombr, as well as homegrown talent such as Fontaines DC, CMAT, and The Saw Doctors.

On Saturday night, the main arena quickly filled for CMAT, the self-proclaimed Dunboyne Diana, who brought her infectious energy and personality to the Main Stage, taking a moment during her set to soak up the reaction to her stage presence and performance.

She told the crowd that Electric Picnic was the first-ever festival she attended, and said: “This is probably as good as it’s going to get for me”, also acknowledging that it was “really magical” to know that her home crowd understands her the best.

The Dunboyne Diana herself, CMAT, told the crowd at Electric Picnic: ‘This is probably as good as it’s going to get for me.’ Picture: Debbie Hickey/Getty

Festival-goers also anticipated energetic sets by international DJs such as Duke Dumont and Armand Van Helden, the latter of whom was cancelled due to safety concerns after the crowd that had gathered at the Smirnoff Stage collapsed.

Shane Boose, aka Sombr, performing at Electric Picnic at Stradbally Hall. Picture: Debbie Hickey/Getty

Karolina Derewianko and Caoimhe Lahiffe from Ennis Co Clare at the Three Charge & Chill area at Electric Picnic 2026. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Benn disputed comments that improvements are needed in crowd control at the Stradbally site, following a surge of crowds for two popular artists on Friday and Saturday night.

He acknowledged that Van Helden was “clearly on a stage that he was too big for” and confirmed that his set was ultimately cancelled as he [Benn] was “not willing to put people’s lives or people’s
injuries at risk”.

“We stopped it immediately, as soon as we could see a crowd collapse. Sometimes a crowd is full and doesn’t collapse. There was no crowd collapse on any other stage at any other time.”

JADE made her Electric Picnic debut on the main stage in Stradbally. Picture: Ramsey Cardy 

Damon Albarn of Gorillaz wearing a keffiyeh at Electric Picnic to show his support for Palestine.

He also said the festival is in a really good place in terms of its location and in terms of how crowds are handled.

On the weather conditions, which saw some revellers’ tents waterlogged, he said that nobody comes to a festival in Ireland without expecting some rain, and that there had been no grievances or complaints aired to him.

Festival-goers from Co Meath at the Three Charge & Chill area at Electric Picnic 2026. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Despite the rainy conditions, festival-goers made the most of their Electric Picnic experience, enjoying the popular artists that took to the Main Stage, as well as those who took to the many stages and areas across the campsite.

Role Model in full flight on the main stage — with the packed crowd captured on the stage-side screens — during his set at Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co Laois. Picture: Ramsey Cardy

Nastia Andrejeva and Mikayla McCarthy from Bantry, Co Cork, enjoying Electric Picnic 2026. Picture: Kieran Ryan-Benson

Cork was well represented at the festival, with Millstreet’s Darren Kiely playing Rankins Wood, Mick Flannery at Electric Arena, and Shimmer Boy playing the Serenity Gardens Stage.

The Comedy Arena featured popular stand-up comedians such as Alison Spittle, Aoife Dunne, Bernard Casey, Deirdre O’Kane, and Fred Cooke.

The Trailer Park, Rankins Wood, Red Bull X Terminus, Salty Dog, Croí, and Serenity Gardens also proved very popular this year, among other stages and areas.

N17 to Stradbally 

Later yesterday, some of Mayo’s All-Ireland winning footballers made a surprise appearance alongside The Saw Doctors. 

The players joined the band, whose members Leo Moran and Davy Carton wrote the hit tunes N17 and   The Green and Red of Mayo, on the main stage for a rousing rendition of the hits.

Delighted fans, including many in Mayo shirts, enjoying the Saw Doctors' set on the main stage at Electric Picnic. The band was joined on stage by members of the All-Ireland winning Mayo squad. Picture: Evan Treacy/PA

Looking ahead to next year, Benn told the media that Electric Picnic 2027 is “absolutely a go”, with pre-sale tickets going on sale on Tuesday, and on general sale on Friday.

He also confirmed that there will be no increase in capacity and no increase in the ticket prices next year.

• Tickets for Electric Picnic 2027 will be released on ticketmaster.ie