Wicklow Takes Two Spots In Top Five As Ireland's Best Music Festivals Are Revealed

Beyond the Pale and Kaleidoscope wow the crowds with festival fever flair finishing top five in nationwide research

Wicklow has cemented its reputation as the most photogenic county on the festival circuit, with two of its events landing in the top five of a new ranking of Ireland's 20 biggest summer music festivals.

The research, carried out by Virgin Media Ireland, the country's leading telecommunications and entertainment provider, scored each festival on five measures: the quality of the golden-hour light, how photogenic the setting is, the summer weather, the buzz across Instagram, TikTok and Google, and the mobile coverage that lets festival-goers share it all in real time.

And Wicklow came out swinging, with Beyond the Pale and Kaleidoscope both securing places among the country's elite.

Beyond the Pale: Wicklow's Crown Jewel

Set among the woods, lakes and mountains of Glendalough Estate, Beyond the Pale took third place overall with a score of 89.6. It was one of only two festivals in the entire ranking to score full marks for both its light and its setting, a rare double that puts the Wicklow estate in a league of its own when it comes to natural backdrops.

The light over Glendalough softens into golden hour around 8:55pm, just as the festival hits its stride. And there's no need to worry about being stuck without a signal to share it: Beyond the Pale recorded the best mobile coverage of any festival on the list, rated "Very Good," meaning every sunset shot by the lake can go straight up the moment it's taken.

Kaleidoscope: Wicklow's Second Triumph

Just behind it in fourth place, Wicklow struck again with Kaleidoscope, held in the grand grounds of Russborough House beside the Blessington Lakes. The setting earned a perfect five out of five, helping push its overall Shot Conditions score to 90 out of 100, with golden hour light arriving from around 9pm.

Kaleidoscope also stood out as the most Googled festival on the entire list, with around 8,100 searches a year, proof that word of Wicklow's festival scene is travelling far beyond the county's borders.

How the Rest of the Country Compared

Topping the overall ranking was All Together Now in Co. Waterford, the only festival to record a flawless Shot Conditions score of 100, set at Curraghmore, the largest private estate in Ireland. Electric Picnic in Co. Laois took second, dominating on social media buzz with over 102,000 Instagram posts. Longitude in Dublin's Marlay Park rounded out the top five.

But it's Wicklow that stands out as the only county to land two festivals in the top five, a feat no other county on the list could match.

A County Built for the Perfect Shot

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."

With Glendalough's mountains and lakes, and Russborough House's lakeside grandeur, Wicklow has proven once again why it's known as the Garden of Ireland, and now, thanks to this research, one of the best counties in the country to capture it on camera.