Our good friends at Leviathan have just unveiled the running order for their own tent plus the Arts Council Literary Stage, which is also residing in the MindField area at the Electric Picnic. Must say we’re looking forward to Friday’s chat between Dave Fanning, Peter Hook, Howard Marks, Simon Napier-Bell and B.P. Fallon!

Friday, 3 September.

17:30pm – 19:00

Leviathan Political Cabaret: David McWilliams hosts a discussion on Politics in the Internet Age with David Cochrane of Politics.ie; Amanda Brown, Cybersorter Column in The Irish Times; Twitterer-in-chief, Senator Dan Boyle; and Gavin Sheridan of TheStory.ie and KildareStreet.com. Special musical guests, White Cholera.

Saturday, 4 September.

12:00 – 13:30

The MindField News Quiz: The voice of RTÉ Radio One’s News at One, Sean O’Rourke, takes a lighthearted look at the year’s news stories so far and tests an eclectic panel of festival personalities on their knowledge of current affairs.

13:45 – 15:15

History Ireland Hedge School: Tommy Graham, editor of History Ireland hosts a timely discussion on Irish Neutrality: Principled or Pragmatic with former Respect MP, George Galloway, Eunan O Hailpin (TCD, Spying on Ireland: British Intelligence and Irish Neutrality During the Second World War), Eamon Delaney (An Accidental Diplomat: My Years in the Irish Foreign Service); and T. Ryle Dwyer (Behind the Green Curtain: Ireland’s Phoney Neutrality During World War Two).

16:00 – 17:30

Unknown Pleasures. RTÉ 2FM’s Dave Fanning hosts a fascinating talk about the past, present and future of the music business in the company of some of its enduring legends. Peter Hook, former bass player with Joy Division and New Order teams up with Mr. Nice, Howard Marks in a frank conversation about the fraught past; former Wham manager, Simon Napier-Bell joins them to talk about the present and legendary DJ, photographer and Viscount of Vibes, BP Fallon looks into the future.

17:30 – 19:00

Graphic Content: The Big Comics Chat. A chaotic and fun-stuffed rocket ride through the inner and outer reaches of the comics and cartooning universes. Our intrepid and esteemed panel – Pat Mills (2000 AD), Steve Bell (Guardian), Emma Vieceli (Manga Shakespeare), Phil Barrett (Matter) and Mel Gibson (Northumbria University) – will cheerily dissect and debate the “sequential art” scene as it and was: offering thoughts, opinions and recollections on a wide range of topics, including: Classic British comics, Manga, Bande dessinée, Girls’ comics, John Major’s underpants, the Irish small presses, and much, much more. Masked and caped crusaders may also get an occasional mention…

19:00 – 20:30

Leviathan: Political Cabaret. David McWilliams hosts a debate about whether Can There Ever Be Peace in the Middle East? with panellists, former Respect MP, George Galloway, journalist and political activist, Eamonn McCann, former Fox News commentator, Rachel Marsden and founder of The Gulf Intelligence news service, Seán Evers. Satirical music from Paddy Cullivan and the Camembert Quartet and stand-up comedy from Kevin Gildea.

20:30 – 21:30

Jinx Lennon. Leviathan favourite and Dundalk’s finest. Part punk folk poet troubadour, part gospel music energy preacher.

Sunday, 5th September.

12:00 – 13:00

Ryan Tubridy’s Picnic Brunch. Direct from his first Late Late Show of the new season, one of Ireland’s top broadcasters, Ryan Tubridy, hosts a show of chat, banter, newspaper reviews and general chaotic hangover-friendly fun with an esoteric bunch of festival guests.

13:45 – 15:15

History Ireland Hedge School: A fascinating historical discussion about the Great O’Neill: Mafiosi or Machiavelli, hosted by History Ireland editor, Tommy Graham with special guests actor Stephen Rea, Hiram Morgan (UCC, Tyrone’s Rebellion), Ciaran Brady (TCD, The Chief Governors: The Rise and Fall of Reform Government in Tudor Ireland, 1536 – 1588) and Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Conor Lenihan.

15:30 – 16:30

Jon Ronson presents: The Men Who Stare At Goats and Other True Tales of Craziness at the Heart of Power. A funny and strange illustrated talk in which Jon Ronson tells the true story behind the Men Who Stare At Goats movie (he wrote the book) and the Bohemian Grove (a secret club he once infiltrated where powerful business people and politicians take part in a ritual that culminates in a mock human sacrifice). He will read from his forthcoming book, The Psychopath Test, which looks once again at madness at the heart of power.

17:00 – 19:00

Leviathan: Political Cabaret. David McWilliams hosts another interactive discussion on A Vision for Ireland in 2020 with guests, Minister for Communciation, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan; journalist and activist, Eamonn McCann; satirical music from Paddy Cullivan and the Camembert Quartet and standup comedy from Colm O’Regan.

19:00 – 20:30

Jinx Lennon: Closing out the Leviathan stage at Electric Picnic.

Arts Council Literary Stage

Friday, 3 September
17:00-17:30 Mike Scott of the Waterboys reads from his new memoir

17:45-18:45 Conall Morrison in conversation with Mark Patrick Hederman

19:00-20:00 Paul Murray and Chris Binchy, hosted by Cormac Kinsella

Saturday, 4 September

12:00 – 13:00 Tom Sykes on Isabella Blow and much more.

13:15-14:15 The Science of Flann O’Brien

14:30-15:30 Dermot Bolger hosts Roddy Doyle and Irvine Welsh

15:45-16:45 Drivetime Four Savvy Women: Mary Wilson with Justine

McCarthy, Tara Buckley, Kathy Sheridan and Sara Burke

17:00-18:00 Dermot Bolger in conversation with Carlo Gébler and Gerard Smyth

18:15-19:15 Crime Writing with Declan Burke, Arlene Hunt, Declan

Hughes and Gene Kerrigan

19:30-20:30 John Waters and Johnny Duhan

Sunday, 5 September

12:00-13:00 Kids Literature: David O’Donoghue and David Maybury

13:15-14:15 Pat Boran, Leanne O’Sullivan and Rita Ann Higgins, hosted by Louis de Paor

14:30-15:30 Paul Muldoon in conversation with Philip King

15:45-16.45 Drivetime Four Savvy Women: Mary Wilson with Justine McCarthy, Tara Buckley, Kathy Sheridan and Sara Burke

17:00-18:00 Julian Gough and Greg Baxter

18:15 -19:15 Mike McCormack and Claire Kilroy

19:30-20:30 Louis de Paor with Ronan Browne