And this year we have a very special treat for the legions of comedy fans on Friday night. For the first time EVER The Comedy Arena will open on Friday evening for four hours from 6.00pm – 10.00pm for a session of comedy’s finest acts. And who better to headline this, than Deirdre O’Kane? The nation’s comedy sweetheart and a national treasure, Deirdre is known for her sharp observational humour and personal anecdotes around Irish culture and versatile performances in film, television and theatre. What a way to kick off the comedy weekend line up 2026!
Also joining the 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.
Reggie Watts is an internationally renowned musician, comedian, writer, actor, who most recently starred as the band leader on CBS’s The Late Show with James Corden. Using his formidable voice, looping pedals, and vast imagination, Watts bends and blurs the lines between music and comedy, wowing audiences.
Northern Irish comics are having something of a moment right now and five of the best are here to show just why that is. Like many comedians, Shane Todd is an overnight success, 15 years in the making. Hailing from Hollywood, Belfast, he is known for his top-notch observational and anecdotal humour. He has rose from YouTube sketches to sellout world tours, holding a 24-night solo record at Belfast Grand Opera House. He hosts the hit podcast Tea With Me. This modern-day king of comedy is well on his way to world domination.
Vittorio Angelone is an Italian Irish comedian, who grew up in Belfast, and has risen through the ranks of comedy world at an incredible speed, building up a following with stand-up clips, podcasts and sketches, amassing millions of views online. He is co-host of the hit podcast Mike and Victoria’s Guide to Parenting and can be seen a lot on the internet unless your, unless your algorithm hasn’t blessed you thusly.
Emer Maguire is a Northern Irish comedian known for her sharp storytelling, musical comedy genius, and gloriously chaotic honesty. Recently named by Channel 4 as one of the top 10 new comedy talents, she has been commissioned by the station as the creator and star of the upcoming sitcom Socially Awkward about her life as an autistic adult.
Belfast comedian Paddy McDonnell has built a strong reputation across the UK and Ireland, turning everyday observations into hilarious anecdotes. He talks about getting older, dealing with gout, and the perils of still trying to be a young man and raising kids!
Diona Doherty, a regular panellist on the BBC’s Blame Game has just landed a lead role in a 10-part CBC Canada and BBC comedy co-production, alongside Schitt’s Creek actor Dustin Milligan. Sharp, sexy and sassy, she is a must-see for those who enjoy comedy with a heart!
That’s not to say that the home team of the republic are slouches, for example 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. When he’s not on stage, he’s recording podcasts, or upsetting someone on X (formally Twitter).
Then there’s Mike Rice, a phenomenal wordsmith and world-class raconteur – there is a cruelty to this Kilkenny native. Currently living in London, he has brought four separate solo shows to the Edinburgh Fringe and is co-creator of the hugely successful podcast called Mike and Vittorio’s Guide to Parenting, which is regularly ranked on the Irish and UK podcast charts.
Rachel Galvo returns to Electric Picnic after her debut performance last year. Blending raunchy humour with sharp social commentary, she explores her Catholic upbringing, awkward sexual encounters, and the life choices that have shaped her journey. It’s a celebration of radical selflove and the joy of embracing imperfections.
Aoife Dunne is one of the fastest rising new faces of Irish comedy and is also a poet and storyteller with a growing online audience of 160,000 across Instagram and TikTok. Her work blends humour and heart, often exploring themes of grief and resilience with honesty and wit.
David Nihill, living in Dublin, where he was born and raised until the age of 22. David Nihill got drunk on travel and never quite got the sobriety of it. He has lived and worked in twelve countries and visited over eighty. A festival favourite, David’s videos have gone viral many times over, with over one billion views and social media following of over 2 million people.
Enya Martin, creator of the Giz a laugh online sketch series, this lovable Clondalkin native reflects on growing up in the 90’s in a council estate to eventually flying first class to Australia. She explains the funny side of modern fitness culture and the many hurdles she has come up against that have shaped her into one of Ireland’s top comedians.
Kevin McGahern has been a staple of Irish comedy for years, hosting RTÉ’s Republic of Telly for ten seasons, hosting Traitors Ireland: Uncloaked, playing the character Sim Card in The Hardy Bucks, as well as hosting the glittery IFTA Awards. He co-hosts the Lovely Show podcast with fellow bogger Justine Stafford.
Alison Spittle is an award-winning screenwriter, actress and touring comedian. Her latest show, Big, won the Comedian’s Choice Award for the best show at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Her nuanced, cheeky and joyful style, coupled with her quick wit and delivery, mark her out as a kind of genius.
You can expect strong sets and plenty of heavenly banter from festival stalwarts like loveable Kerry scamp Bernard Casey, Bridget and Eamon star and creator Bernard O’Shea, comedian, musician, actor Michael Fry, Hardy Bucks star Owen Colgan, US based Irish comedian Katie Boyle, Comedy for Witches creator Anna Clifford, Father Ted star Patrick McDonnell, ever dependable John Colleary, king of the one-liners Paul Marsh, laconic Mayo man Ger Staunton, Aussie comic Thomas Greene, Ballymun’s finest Willie White and Eric Lalor, Laugh Out Loud star Martin Angolo, The Tommy Tiernan Show MC Fred Cooke, and cultured culchie Sinéad Quinlan.
The Comedy Arena is renowned for its commitment to supporting and nurturing emerging talent and this year making their picnic debuts are Darren Gaffney, Louisa Ní Éideáin, Taran O’Sullivan, Ailish McCarthy, Ian Burke, Sadhbh McLooughlin, Breda Heggarty, Richie Bree, Simon Hennessey, Dame Stuffy, Keith Fox and Michael Roche.
The MCs for the weekend are two of the best in the business. Human Duracell bunny Damo Clark and the sometimes edgy, sometimes laid back but always consistently engaging and funny Karl Spain.
The Comedy Arena at EP is on Friday 28th August 18:00 to 22:00, Saturday 29th August 14:00 to 21:30 and Sunday 30th August 14:00 to 21:30.