THE organisers of the Electric Picnic festival, which kicks off this Friday, are to highlight the issue of Irish male suicide during the three-day event.
A giant wooden temple is to be built on the festival site at Stradbally, Co Laois, where festival-goers can “pin their fears, tribulations and concerns on paper inside the structure”. “This will be a very spiritual event as part of the overall festival,” said Electric Picnic promoter John Reynolds.
American artist David Best will build the “Temple of Truth”, which has previously featured at the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert. The installation will be set alight on Sunday night at the end of the festival.
“We have arranged for five people, all of whom have been affected by Irish male suicide, to light the temple on Sunday,” said Mr Reynolds.
More than 35,000 people are expected to attend the festival this year, headlined by the Sex Pistols, My Bloody Valentine, Franz Ferdinand, Underworld and George Clinton the P Funk Allstars. The festival runs from Friday, August 29th to Sunday, August 31st.