On This Day 1920: The First Electric Picnic

HUNDREDS of people are expected to converge on Queen’s County today to witness the country’s first Electric Picnic, which will be headlined by an appearance by US inventor and electrical pioneer Thomas Edison, with support by Four-Donkey Dynamo & The Hydro-Electric DAAAMN.

The road from Dublin to the midlands is expected to be very busy with horse-drawn carriages and bare-foot marches, while security at the event will be provided by the newly-arrived Black & Tan division of the British armed forces over the three-day event.

Visitors can expect to be wowed by electric marvels such as an actual lightbulb (the first in the country), a talk on how candles will be phased out by every industry except the Catholic Church, and a very special finale in which key members of the 1916 rising will be re-executed live on stage using an ‘electric chair’ brought over from America for one weekend only.

“We’re expecting lightning storms all weekend, which is good!” said one reveler on his way into the Electric Picnic, dragging a wooden barrel of Guinness behind him. “It’s really going to suit the 10.45 electrical conduction display on Sunday morning, which is exactly what I’m going to need as I’ll be hungover to bits and I’ll just want to lie back and recuperate so I’m ready for Edison to take the main stage on Sunday night”.

Visitors to the event are being warned about the expensive nature of the festival, with some vendors charging thruppence and nine for a nettle sandwich.