The tents are up, the wellies are by the door, and the weather forecast is looking promising this summer. Music festival season in Ireland is officially in full swing, and these days half the fun is capturing it. 

But which festival actually gives you the best shot? 

New research from Virgin Media Ireland, the country’s leading telecommunications and entertainment provider, has crunched the numbers on 20 of the country’s biggest summer music festivals to find out which one is the best for capturing the moment, scoring each one on the light, the scenery, the summer weather, the social media buzz and the mobile coverage that lets you share it all in real time. 

1. All Together Now, Co. Waterford

All Together Now took the top spot with a perfect score of 100. It was the only festival to earn a flawless shot conditions score of 100 out of 100, marrying perfect golden hour light with an unbeatable setting at Curraghmore, the largest private estate in Ireland, all old woodland and gardens. It also enjoyed the sunniest and driest weather of all 20 festivals, averaging 6.4 hours of sunshine a day, with the golden window opening around 8:30pm just as the main stage gets going.

2. Electric Picnic, Co. Laois

Ireland’s biggest festival is also one of its most photogenic, landing a Shot Conditions score of 90 out of 100 in the beautiful parkland of Stradbally Hall. As a late August event its best light arrives a little earlier, from around 7:40pm. Where it runs away from the pack is social media buzz with more than 102,000 Instagram posts and a further 22,600 on TikTok, Electric Picnic is comfortably the most talked about festivals of the summer. 

3. Beyond the Pale, Co. Wicklow

Third with an overall score of 89.6, Beyond the Pale is the only other festival to score top marks for both its light and its setting. Set among the woods, lakes and mountains of Glendalough Estate, it looks perfect once the light softens around 8:55pm. It also earned a Very Good rating for mobile coverage, the best of any festival on the list, so every sunset by the lake can go straight up the second you capture it. 

4. Kaleidoscope, Co. Wicklow

Wicklow’s second entry in the top five, with an overall score of 86.2, Kaleidoscope takes place in the grand grounds of Russborough House beside the Blessington Lakes. The setting scored a perfect five out of five and, with lovely golden hour light from around 9pm, lifted it to a Shot Conditions score of 90 out of 100. It is also the most Googled festival on the entire list, with around 8,100 searches a year. 

5. Longitude, Co. Dublin

This Dublin festival proves you don’t need a faraway field for the perfect shot, ranking fifth with an overall score of 84.1. Set in leafy Marlay Park, with old trees and the Dublin mountains in the distance, it comes alive around 9pm when the light turns golden. A genuine TikTok favourite with nearly 10,000 posts, it keeps a young, phone-in-hand crowd posting in real time.

Making up the rest of the top ten were Forbidden Fruit in Dublin in sixth, Night & Day at Lough Key Forest Park in Co. Roscommon in seventh, Open Ear on Sherkin Island in Co. Cork in eighth, When Next We Meet in Co. Tipperary in ninth, and Sea Sessions in Co. Donegal in tenth, which boasts the latest sunsets in the country, the sun staying up until 10:12pm to give the longest golden hour of any festival on the list.

Speaking about the findings, Louise Zayed, Head of Press and Publicity at Virgin Media Ireland said: “Irish summers are made for festivals, and capturing and sharing the moment is a huge part of the fun these days. We wanted to celebrate the festivals that give you the perfect shot, from golden hour light to gorgeous settings, and to remind everyone that strong coverage is what lets you share it all as it happens.”

For more information please visit: https://www.virginmedia.ie/play/irelands-best-festivals/