Although the weather had improved by the time the band took the stage shortly after 8pm, persistent rain which had fallen for much of Friday and Saturday meant that conditions were less than ideal for an open-air concert.

The official car park on the Navan side of Slane had to be closed due to overnight flooding, and fans were advised to go by shuttle bus from Navan or Dublin or to use an alternative car park.

The Rolling Stones last played in Slane 25 years ago, and fans who paid from 85 for yesterday's show were treated to many of their greatest hits including 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' and 'Start Me Up'.

The Stones played with the help of oxygen masks . . . hardly surprising given that the band members, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ron Wood, have a collective age of 253.

Meanwhile, Electric Picnic organisers have announced that, this year, punters will be able to pre-order their beer online before they leave for the festival, meaning they will have access to up to 48 cans of chilled beer onsite once they have pitched their tents.

Slabs of Heineken, Amstel and Kopperberg will be available online for 60 each in a development that festival organisers say is the first of its kind in the world.

"Instead of lugging your two slabs of beer all the way to Stradbally and through the fields and not even having it chilled to cool you down from all your efforts, we are now able to offer you the facility to pre-order your two slabs of beer online and collect them after you pitch your tent onsite, " said a spokeswoman for the event, which takes place from 31 August to 2 September.