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Electric Picnic 2024 - An Garda Síochána Traffic and Travel Plan

Between Wednesday, 14th of August 2024 and Monday, 19th, August 2024 some 75,000 festival-goers will flock to Stradbally, Co. Laois for this year’s Electric Picnic.

Gardaí will be out on all routes in and around the site to ensure that all those attending can arrive safely, while non-event traffic and local residents can all travel with ease. (Note - we are asking those travelling to Rosslare Port to use an alternative route and not to come near Stradbally)

Please allow additional time for your journey in this direction between Wednesday, 14th of August, 2014 and Tuesday, 20th of August 2024.

Gardaí will be doing their utmost to keep travel dispruption and diversions to an absolute minimum.

Those attending the festival are strongly encouraged to make their way to the site at Stradbally by public transport where possible.

Portlaoise is the closest train station to Stradbally. There will be a paid shuttle bus service operating from Portlaoise Train Station directly to the Pick-up Drop-off area.

Please be advised that the only collection or drop off point will be at the Pick-up Drop-off area located just off the N80 on the Portlaoise side of Stradbally.

There will be no collection point at any carpark over the duration of the weekend.

All buses attending the event, taxis and motorists dropping festivalgoers off must use this location.

Car parks will open for early entry ticket holders from 4pm on Thursday, 15th of August 2024 and from 9am on Friday, 16th of August until 4pm on Monday 19th of August 2024 for all general ticket holders.

Tow-away vehicles will be in operation for the duration of the festival to remove any illegally parked vehicle and those causing obstruction.

The directions for all those travelling to Electric Picnic from Dublin, Cork, Limerick, the west of Ireland and the south-east are all outlined below under the following categories:

  • General motorists
  • General Campervans and Caravans
  • Buses and private coaches
  • Accessible route é
  • Family (Campervan and Car Park)


Travelling from North Dublin (M7 southbound)

  • General motorists will exit the M7 at Junction 16. Take the R445 towards Portlaoise and take a left turn onto the R425. Continue straight at Bloomfield roundabout on the R425 to Sheffield, Lamberton Junction and Money Cross - at Money Cross turn left and follow directions to carparks.

  • General Campervansand Caravans will exit the M7 at Junction 17 and follow Limerick Route to Sheffield Junction. Campervans will then turn left and take the R425 to Bloomfield Cross where they will take the N80 to Stradbally and onwards to parking.

  • Buses will exit the M7 at Junction 15, take the third exit from the first roundabout and cross the M7, continue straight through the next roundabout, before turning left onto R445. Continue along until Treacy’s Pub where they’ll turn left over the M7 towards Heath GAA. At JK Auto’s, buses will join the Heath Rd and travel on to Stradbally where they will be directed to the Pick-up Drop-off area on the N80.

  • Accessible route 

Appropriate pass holders will exit the M9 at Junction 3 and join the N78 to Athy.  At the roundabout take the first left onto the new Athy Distributor Road and follow the N78 towards Kilkenny via Ballylinan. At the junction between N78 and N80, turn right towards Stradbally. Continue to Court Square and turn left onto the Timahoe Road. Accessible Car Park is accessed via Gate 4a on the right hand side.

  • Family (Campervan and Car Park)

Family pass holders will take the M9 to Junction 3 and join the N78 to Athy. At the roundabout take the first left onto the new Athy Distributor Road and follow the N78 towards Kilkenny via Ballylinan. At junction between N78 and N80, turn right towards Stradbally. Continue to Court Square and turn left onto the Timahoe Road. Follow signs for ‘Family Camping’ which is located in Stradbally GAA Club on the left hand side.

    Travelling from Limerick (M7 northbound)

    • General motorists will exit the M7 at Junction 17. Head west towards Portlaoise on the N77. After 500m turn right onto the Meelick Road, then continue straight. At the T-junction turn right onto the R426 and continue to the next T-junction. Turn right onto R425 at Sheffield. Continue straight on the R425 to Money Cross where you will be directed to the carparks.

    • General Campervans and Caravans will exit M7 at Junction 17. Head west towards Portlaoise on the N77. After 500m turn right onto the Meelick Road, then continue straight. At the T-junction turn right onto the R426 and continue to the next T-junction where they will turn left and take the R425 to Bloomfield Roundabout. Here take the third exit onto the N80 towards Stradbally and onwards to parking.

    • Buses will exit the M7 at Junction 15. At the roundabout take the first exit (left), continue to the next roundabout and take the first exit (left) onto the R445 and continue along until Treacy’s Pub. Turn left after Treacy’s Pub, continue over the M7 and pass The Heath GAA Club on the right hand side. At JK Auto’s, buses will join the Heath Road and travel to Stradbally where buses will be directed to the Pick-up Drop-off area on the N80.

    • Accessible route

    Appropriate pass holders will exit M7 at Junction 16, onto R445. Turn left towards Rathbrennan and travel to Bloomfield roundabout. Take the first exit onto the N80 and continue to Stradbally. At Court Square and turn right onto the Timahoe Road. Accessible Car Park is accessed via Gate 4a on right hand side.

    • Family (Campervan and Car Park)

    Family pass holders will exit M7 at Junction 16, onto R445. Turn left towards Rathbrennan and travel to Bloomfield roundabout and take the first exit onto the N80 and continue to Stradbally. At Court Square, turn right onto Timahoe Road. Follow signs for ‘Family Camping’ which is located in Stradbally GAA Club on left hand side.

    Travelling from the West of Ireland (N80)

    • General motorists including buses from the West will travel on the N80 through Mountmellick towards Portlaoise.
      • Continue on N80 to Lucy Franks roundabout at Fairgreen. Take the second exit onto the Portlaoise Ring Road. Continue for 3km towards Mountrath Road/R445. At the roundabout take the third exit and continue uphill to the next roundabout
      • Then take the first exit onto the Fr. Brown Avenue/Old Knockmay Road
      • At Fr. Brown roundabout continue straight to the Portlaoise South Circular Ringroad
      • At the O‘Doran roundabout take the third exit onto the R426 to Sheffield
      • At Sheffield turn right onto the R425 and continue to Money Cross where you will be directed to carparks.

    • General Campervans and Caravans will follow will above routing to O’Doran roundabout. Continue straight and turn right onto the N80. Continue on the N80 through Bloomfield roundabout (second exit) towards Stradbally and onwards to parking on the right hand side before Stradbally village.

    • Buses will follow the above routing to Fr. Brown roundabout (O’Moore Park GAA grounds on right hand side). Take the third exit onto the N77/Abbeyleix Road and enter the M7 northbound at Junction 17. Exit the M7 at Junction 15.
      At the roundabout take first exit (left), continue to next roundabout and take first exit (left) onto the R445 and continue along until Treacy’s Pub. Turn left after Treacy’s Pub, continue over the M7 and pass The Heath GAA Club on the right hand side.
      At JK Auto’s, buses will join the Heath Road and travel to Stradbally where buses will be directed to the Pick-up Drop-off area on the N80.

    • Accessible route

    Appropriate pass holders will follow above routing to the O’Doran roundabout.  Continue straight and turn right onto the N80. Continue on the N80 through Bloomfield roundabout (second exit) towards Stradbally. At Court Square turn right onto the Timahoe Road. Accessible Car Park is accessed via Gate 4a on right hand side.

    • Family (Campervan and Car Park)

    Family pass holders will follow the above routing to the O’Doran roundabout.  Continue straight and turn right onto the N80. Continue on the N80 through Bloomfield roundabout (second exit) towards Stradbally. At Court Square, turn right onto Timahoe Road. Follow signs for Family Camping which is located in Stradbally GAA Club on the left hand side.

      Travelling from the South-East including Carlow and Athy

      • General motorists will travel west on the N80 into Stradbally. All event traffic (except buses) will turn left at Court Square onto the Timahoe Road. Cars will be directed into the car parks.

      • Campervans will continue on the N80 through Stradbally village and will be directed to the Campervan Parking on left hand side of N80.

      • Buses will continue on the N80 through Stradbally village and will be directed left into the Pick-up Drop-off area on the left hand side of N80.

      • Accessible route

      Appropriate pass holders will turn left at Court Square onto the Timahoe Road.  Accessible Car Park is accessed via Gate 4a on the right hand side.

      • Family (Campervan and Car Park)

      Continue on N80 to Stradbally. At Court Square, turn right onto the Timahoe Road. Follow signs for Family Camping which is located in Stradbally GAA Club on the left hand side.

        Road Closures and restrictions

        1. The R427 Cork Road, Stradbally will be closed from midday on Thursday, 15st August to 4pm on Monday, 19th August 2024
        2. The L3837 /Timahoe Road between Stradbally Village and Timogue Cross from midday on Thursday, 15th August to 4pm on Monday, 19th of August 2024
        3. Access to the section of the R427 from Vicarstown (Garrons Cross) to the N80, and the L3818 Rathmore Road from the Heath to the N80 will also be restricted at intervals from Thursday, 15th of August 2024 to Monday, 19th of August 2024.

        Hauliers travelling to and from Rosslare Europort

        • Hauliers are encouraged not to use the N80 through Stradbally during the festival
        • N80 traffic from the North West- divert via N80 Mountmellick onto the R422 to Emo and join the R445 to Monasterevan taking the R417 to Athy and then the N78 to Junction 3 on the M9 and onwards to Carlow exiting at Junction 5 (Tinryland) and re-joining the N80
        • N80 traffic from the South/West - divert via the M7 at Junction 17 and take the N77 to Abbeyleix. Turn left onto the R430 and onwards to Carlow/N80
        • HGV drivers seeking to access the N80 from Carlow will divert via the N78 at Simmons Mills to Athy or Abbeyleix and onwards to Portlaoise via the routes as outlined above.


        Additional traffic and travel information can be found via the Garda Interactive Map via this webpage webpage: Electric Picnic | Travel.

        An Garda Síochána wish all road users a safe journey to and from Electric Picnic 2024.

        Should any motorist or road user require emergency Garda assistance, please always call 999/112.