• Home
  • /
  • Latest News
  • /
  • An Honest Guide: Trying To Follow Sport While At Electric Picnic

An Honest Guide: Trying To Follow Sport While At Electric Picnic

An Honest Guide: Trying To Follow Sport While At Electric Picnic
Conor Neville
By Conor Neville
Share this article

Festival purists no doubt look down their nose at the cavemen who are demanding sport at the Picnic.

The EP festival itself has dangerously mainstream in recent times. And the purists surely regard the sight of 'GAH' jerseys within the grounds as a further sign of its alleged deterioration.

In their eyes, the last thing the organisers should be doing is making the games easier to see, lest it encourage that element.

Despite the presence of a big screen for both the Dublin-Mayo football replay and the Kilkenny-Galway hurling final at last year's festival, the organisers this year said they wouldn't be laying on one for another meeting of Tipp and Kilkenny. Fortunately for fans who travelled down, the Newstalk tent in the Mindfield were screening the game. But that's frequently packed out early on and the chances of latecomers stealing in for a peek are slim to none. Here are some alternative ways to stay in touch.

By rights this should probably have been written before Electric Picnic when it might have functioned as a kind of how-to guide. But then we would like to think the advice in here has a timeless quality to it.

Text updates

By Sunday, the great majority of phones are dead and the coverage is spotty in any event. But it is possible to stay abreast of developments.

Advertisement

One resident of this place experienced the 2009 hurling final through the medium of text messages from a family member.

An interested neutral on the day itself, he was, like most of his kind, hungry to see change at the top. And so, naturally, he was willing on Tipperary to prevent the Kilkenny four-in-a-row.

His text updates held out the promise of an upset all afternoon. As Florence and her machine busily got to work on stage, the updates came in an excited flurry.

Advertisement

"Tipp lead by 2 points'

'Tipp lead by 3 points'

'Tipp ahead by 2 now'

Advertisement

'Tipp now up by 4'.

At which point, without warning, the flow of texts stopped rather abruptly. After 15 minutes, our hero texted his informant to see how the game had ended.

"Kilkenny won by five points"

Advertisement

"Ah for f..."

tkk

Go into Stradbally

Advertisement
Recommended

In our experience, the stewards at Electric Picnic, most of whom seem to have either Dublin or Scottish accents, have no more an idea of where Stradbally is than you have.

So, asking them which is way is Stradbally gets you nowhere. Your best bet is asking a fellow reveller who is making the same lonely trek in search of hurling.

If you're feeling energetic, you can walk it the whole way. If wrecked, there is a taxi point at some point way up the car park.

Advertisement

Of all the pubs in Stradbally, the Napper Tandy's has the best name by a distance so naturally the unfamiliar will gravitate towards that. Kehoe's and Ramsbottoms are options though.

Get told results by a performer

rkea

In past years, Ireland have tended to have a major qualifier at EP weekend.

The UEFA fixture men at last decided to take account of the Stradbally extravaganza this year and ensured the Irish qualifier would be on the Monday.

Last year, with morale on the floor, there was comparatively little interest in Ireland's qualifier away in Gibraltar. There was no major clamour for a big screen and the organisers weren't going to roll one out when no one asked.

But it transpired that this was the very night that Ireland's dreams of France were revived. While we are able to brush past the news that Ireland had triumphed 4-0 in the Algarve, there were major developments out in Tblisi where the mighty Georgians downed Scotland. Ireland were given an unexpected leg-up in the qualifying race and Valeri Qazaishvili took his well deserved place in the Gary Mackay Hall of Fame.

This contributor to the website was informed of this happy news by none other than comedian Karl Spain. From this he has deduced that the performers have access to this kind of information easier than mere attendees.

He was strengthened in this belief when the next band onstage, top drawer Scottish indie outfit Belle & Sebastian, lamented Scotland's latest footballing failure.

Actually leaving the festival early on the Sunday 

Many's the individual has their EP ticket booked early in the year only to watch their county (unexpectedly) reach the All-Ireland hurling final in August.

Early on the Sunday morning last year, there was a steady stream of bleary-eyed, maroon clad festival-goers traipsing towards the car park, heaving their tents behind them.

Those who were relying on public transport asked the stewards which way to Stradbally (waste of time). If they were lucky, they found the taxi point without too much difficulty.

The taxis arrive back at this particular taxi point with frustrating irregularity. But if you're early enough, you should be all-right.

The best bet then is into Portlaoise. The most regular bus drops you off the Red Cow Luas stop. Daniel Day will carry you into the belly of Dublin.

As grueling as that trek was, watching the second half was worse.

galw

Read more: The Rules For Staying Out Of Trouble On Social Media If You're A GAA Player

 

Join The Monday Club Have a tip or something brilliant you wanted to share on? We're looking for loyal Balls readers free-to-join members club where top tipsters can win prizes and Balls merchandise

Processing your request...

You are now subscribed!

Share this article

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com

Advertisement