The MindField Line-up Has Arrived! 🤯🎪

CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, Aisling Bea, I’m Grand Mam and Jenny Keane all announced as part of spoken word arena line-up

Irish language in the spotlight with Oscar nominated director of An Cailín Ciúin Colm Bairéad headed for the Manifesto Stage

The line-up for Electric Picnic’s MindField spoken word arena has just been announced with an inspiring, engaging and entertaining programme of spoken word, interviews, debate, talks, poetry, podcasts and more. Experience the exhilaration of tough questions, inspiring answers, heated debate, hearty laughs, provocative ideas, heart-breaking poetry, compelling podcasts, magnificent speeches, soaring literature and the beauty of an teanga Gaeilge and much, much more all set in the beautiful parkland of Stradbally Hall with top class food and drink experiences – a true feast for all the senses.

Highlights of the intriguing programme in the Leviathan tent include speed debating with Salon du Chat and Miriam O’Callaghan hosting her annual Sunday Brunch with her special guests casting a jaundiced eye on the newspapers. The Leviathan Political Cabaret is hosted by CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan and analyses 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement through debate and performance. Paddy Cullivan presents his historical who-dunnit hit show, The Murder of Wolfe Tone whilst History Ireland Hedge School tackles the rise of the far right in Ireland. Award-winning journalist Carole Cadwalladr talks about her investigative journalism, The Rodfather brings together legendary football manager, Roddy Collins in hilarious and outrageous conversation with author Paul Howard and The Culchie Show presented by Barry Murphy and friends takes on the cosmopolitan elites (or something). Great music, spoken word and cabaret rounds off each evening at Leviathan with Tebi Rex and the Word Up Collective, Miss Kate and Friends and The Camembert Quartet.

The Manifesto stage is this year curated by award-winning author and editor Sinéad Gleeson. There’ll be fascinating and moving conversations from Dylan Brennan and Khanyisile Mbukwane, Maija Sofia, Venus Patel and Amanda Coogan. Big laughs are guaranteed with Aisling book series authors Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen, while Ireland’s trad and folk renaissance is discussed by Brían Mac Gloinn (of Ye Vagabonds), Niamh Bury and Joe Potter (The Night Before Larry Was Stretched). Also featured is British Book Award-winning author, Louise Kennedy, a panel on surviving the arts with writer Carl Austin, Grace Dyas and Patrick Barrett (Arrivalists); and Sally Hayden and Bulelani Mfaco in conversation about migration. Nell Mescal talks about her music while Oscar-nominated director of An Cailín Ciúin Colm Bairéid talks to producer Katie Holly, and then there’s actress, writer and comedian, Aisling Bea in conversation with Tara Flynn; as well as singer Clara Tracey and writer Patrick Freyne.

Ah, Hear! the podcast stage once again brings some of Ireland’s most popular podcasts together in one place. In fact, no fewer than four of the country’s most popular top ten podcasts with millions of weekly listeners between them, covering history, politics, sport, lifestyle, culture and comedy including: The Blindboy Podcast, Hold My Drink with Charleen and Ellie, Three Castles Burning with Donal Fallon, The Group Chat with Gavan Reilly, Zara King and Richard Chambers of Virgin Media News, Inside Politics from The Irish Times and Talking Bollox with Terence Power and Calvin O’Brien. There’s the RTÉ Ulysses podcast with cartoonist and poet Tom Mathews, Aldi’s Mamia and Me podcast, Louise Cooney’s Open Book, the Black and Irish podcast, I’m Grand Mam, Unveiled with Niamh Cullen and Nessa Morrissey, Left on Read with Julie Haynes and Brenda Dennehy, Off The Ball, Tony Cantwell’s Hit Show,  Orgasm with Jenny Keane, Stall It with Darren Conway and Joe McGucken, Magnified with Matt Cooper and Three Castles Burning with Donal Fallon with artist Jim Fitzpatrick.

Our talented Gaels are ever increasing as An Puball Gaeilge runs to midnight gach oíche with brilliant talks, theatre, podcasts and music, all as Gaeilge. On Friday they open with male voice quartet Cór Cheathréad Mharlborough before Féile Nasc presents a choice of some of Dublin’s up-and-coming tradsters Bonneymen agus Cairde, Feart, Burnchurch and Ócadún and more. Ceol Rince na hOíche will see Ushmush take to the stage with his blend of pop soul South American dance grooves. Saturday will start with a theatre show for kids by the fabulous High Rock Productions. This will be followed by inspirational talks from the Imbolc festival and then Uair an Ghlóir Úir will give you a glimpse of the emerging talent on the Irish language music scene. Next up will be podcasts with some of Raidió na Life’s and Raidió Fáilte’s best broadcasters. GaeilGáirí will host some of the best comedians plying their trade as Gaeilge including Aideen McQueen, Hugh Carr, Louisa Ní Éideáin and Eoin Ó Murchú.  Féile na Gealaí will then present you with their choice of rocking music with headlines from Seo Linn, Emma Ní Fhíoruisce, SuperCéilí and more before giving way to dance DJs during the Ceirneoirí na hOíche slot. Sunday will start out much like Saturday with plenty of talks, podcasts and talent in store, before giving way to Club Puball G where more of the best bands and singers like Krea, Big Sleep and Stonemasons will take to the Puball Gaeilge stage.

The Word stage brings beats, rhymes, poetry, hip-hop, grime and more, orchestrated and hosted by the great Marty Mulligan from Mullingar. On Friday, there are words from Jack Gaudet, Audible Chocolate, Adore and Oscar Dunbarr, and music from JaVille, Big Love, Bobby & the Blunts, The Love Buzz and The Lost Messiahs. Saturday’s words come from Wish I Was A Warrior with Caoimhe Weakliam, Daniel Breslin and Kenan Flannery

Stan Notte, Lauren McNamara and A Part of Everything; The Poetry Kiln with Annie Peter, Anna D, David Hynes, Seamus Bradley and Juan Genovese, Glastonbury legend, Mike Garry, Shaunna Lee Lynch, Jim Crickard, Daniel Galvin, Cathal Holden, Sionnachai and the Sick Sisters and music from Under Starling, The Ballyboyz and Scally, Guud Grief, Marty Mulligan and the Skamm, Back Road Smokers Club, and Rowan. On Sunday the words flow from Smithfield Creatives / Circle Sessions with Sheila Ryder, Carla Beattie, Helen Hastings, shelovescalpol, A-musing with Liam McCabe, Joe Carroll, Rude Jules, David Hynes, Cormac Mac Gearailt, Leon Dunne, Leanne and James William Dillon, Frank Rafferty and Mel Bradley, Rachel Lally and The Poet Geoff, and music from Shaskeen, George Murphy and The Rising Sons, Bog Bodies, Billow Wood and Ruaile Buaile.