Sit back, relax, and allow us to transport you back to a time when we hosted some of the biggest Irish music festivals ever.

But that's not to say that current Irish music festivals don't cut the mustard. It's just, back then, festivals were a different breed of their own. Traipsing around a mucky field, wearing one welly, and carrying a garlic cheese chips while looking for your friends never created so many memories as it did back then.

And let's face, things haven't changed much. With the current Electric Picnic line-up just after being announced, here is a look back at some of the best Irish music festivals that are no longer with us.

Oxegen

It was a sad day for fans of Irish music festivals when Oxegen announced that it wouldn't be returning in 2014. Punchestown's music festival ran from 2004 until 2013, with a year's break in 2012. While Oxegen was riding one of Ireland's most successful festival waves for years, the final year of the festival seemed to see it paddling without a surfboard any longer.

2004 - 2011 were the golden years for Oxegen, featuring memorable artists such as Jay-Z, Muse, Red Hot Chill Peppers, Daft Punk, The Prodigy, New Order, and Beyonce to name just a few. However, upon returning in 2013, a huge part of the festival that once was, had been lost. Gone were the rock bands, and in to replace them was dance music. Not to say that the appearance of David Guetta and Calvin Harris wasn't welcomed... it just wasn't the same festival anymore.

 

 

Witnness

Originally setting up tent at Fairyhouse in Meath, Wetnness moved to Punchestown on its final year in 2003 before getting a facelift and returning as Oxegen a year later. The original festival ran for just four years, and from the stories we've heard, was the muckiest of the muck.

That's not to say that it wasn't an almighty music festival though. Witnness played host to a huge sleuth of talent from 2000 - 2003, including Travis, Faithless, Beck, The Avalanches, The Chemical Brothers, and Basement Jaxx. 2003 was also the year that psychedelic Flaming Lips stepped in to replace The White Stripes after Jack White broke his left hand.

 

Castlepalooza

Castlepalooza, having run for 13 years from 2006 to 2018, is currently on a hiatus. According to their official website, the boutique music and arts festival is "taking the time out to create a completely new spin on the music festival formula."

Artists who have attended Tullamore for the festival in the past have been a mostly indie-exclusive affair, featuring the likes of All Tvvins, I Have A Tribe, David Kitt, and Caribou as just some of the lineup from over the years. Here's hoping that Castlepalooza doesn't stay dormant for too long, and comes back in 2020 bigger and better than ever.

 

Lovebox

Dublin's short-lived Lovebox music festival only lasted for two years in 2007 and 2008. That wasn't to say that the demand wasn't there - the stages almost doubled in size after the first year, going from four to a much more overwhelming seven. That might have been because of the venue change from Malahide Castle to Marley Park, too.

The line-up for Lovebox had a similar vibe to that of its London counterpart and featured a host of top dance and pop artists. Groove Armada, Super Furry Animals, Japanese Popstars, N.E.R.D., Sam Sparro and Paolo Nutini were among the headliners.

 

Féile

Just look at that video. If there was one Irish music festival that deserves a resurgence, it has to be Féile. The music festival ran for eight years from 1990 to 1997 and was a time when half of Ireland would descend upon Thurles in country Tipperary. The first five years of the festival were held here, while the following two saw it move from Cork, to Dublin, and finally in '97 back to Thurles for one last shindig.

And there were so many huge artists among the line-up for Féile, including Primal Scream, Elvis Costello, Iggy Pop, Björk, Alanis Morissette, Foo Fighters, and Manic Street Preachers.

 

Heineken Green Energy

May bank holiday weekend's always revolved around someone that you knew heading to the Heineken Green Energy at Dublin Castle. The music festival ran from 1996 right up until 2008, and every year kicked off the Irish summer in style.

The range of acts that played over the 13 years was of the widest variety, and relied heavily on the homegrown talent we have on our island - as well as international acts too. Sinead O'Connor, Lou Reed, Republic of Loose, Muse, The Kooks, Kasabian and The Devine Comedy are just a few that graced the Dublin Castle stage.

So there you have it, these were just six past Irish music festivals we've played host to over the years - did you attend any of them? Let us know your fond festival memories in the Facebook comments.