Gift Grub star and Deirdre O'Kane among comedy headliners at Electric Picnic
Mario Rosenstock, Deirdre O’Kane, Reggie Watts and Shane Todd headline expanded comedy arena
The comedy tent at Electric Picnic in Laois is always a huge favourite and this year will be no exception, with an extended 45 strong lineup featuring many online comedy stars.
For the first time The Comedy Arena will open on Friday evening for four hours from 6pm to 10pm for a session of comedy’s finest acts, headlined by EP favourite, Deirdre O’Kane, known for her sharp observational humour and personal anecdotes around Irish culture and versatile performances in film, television and theatre.
Also joining the Stradbally lineup this year is Mario Rosenstock, a multi-award-winning comedian and one of Ireland's leading satirists and mimics, the creator and voice behind Gift Grub on the Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show on Today FM since 1999. He has broken all box office records in Ireland, including five sold-out nights at the Bord Gáis Theatre, eleven straight nights in Dublin's Olympia Theatre, and in 2025 became the first Irish comedian to sell out the 3Arena.
Also headlining is Reggie Watts, an internationally renowned musician, comedian, writer, actor, who most recently starred as the band leader on CBS's The Late Show with James Corden, and YouTube star and Tea With Me podcaster Shane Todd.
Coming too are Belfast Italian Vittorio Angelone and Kilkenny native Mike Rice who co-host the hit podcast Mike and Victoria's Guide to Parenting.
Emer Maguire, upcoming star of Channel 4’s sitcom Socially Awkward is on the billing too, as is Belfast comedian Paddy McDonnell, and Diona Doherty, a regular panellist on the BBC's Blame Game who has just landed a lead role in a 10-part CBC Canada and BBC comedy co-production, alongside Schitt's Creek actor Dustin Milligan.
David McSavage satirist and creator of the cult RTÉ series, The Savage Eye has been making people laugh and occasionally calling their solicitors for over two decades.
The lineup includes Laois comedian Bernard O’Shea of Brigid and Eamon fame, back on the EP comedy stage with a host of new online followers.
Others include Kevin McGahern, Alison Spittle, John Colleary, Paddy McDonnell, Michael Fry, Owen Colgan, Fred Cooke, Katie Boyle and Emer Maguire.
The MCs for the weekend are Damo Clark and Karl Spain.
The Comedy Arena at Electric Picnic is on Friday August 28 from 6pm to 10, and from 2pm to 9.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.