Glen Hansard, the Irish musician who won an Academy Award for the song "Falling Slowly" from the film "Once," died early Wednesday in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash on the outskirts of Dublin, leaving behind a wife and a three-year-old son.
Irish police confirmed that a man in his 50s was killed before 4:30 a.m. Wednesday in Lucan, a community on Dublin's western edge. First responders treated him at the scene, but he was pronounced dead a short time later. Police did not release the man's name, but Hansard's management company, ATC Management, confirmed his death to Irish broadcaster RTÉ, saying the family was "deeply shocked and heartbroken."
Hansard was 56. He is survived by his wife, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, and their young son, Christy.
The crash was a solo incident, no other vehicle was involved. The New York Post reported that Hansard had spent his final hours at the Wren's Nest pub in Dublin, attending a traditional Irish music session with the group Trad 15. He then rode west on Lower Road and crashed less than two miles from the pub. Because no other vehicle was involved, no criminal investigation will follow, though police will prepare a file for a coroner's inquest and a post-mortem examination with toxicology testing will be conducted.
The Wren's Nest posted a tribute on Facebook: "It was always a privilege to welcome Glen to The Wren's Nest over the years. He will be remembered for his incredible talent, generosity and the joy he brought to so many."
Hansard's career arc was one of those rare stories where raw talent and persistence actually paid off. He started busking on the streets of Dublin as a teenager and broke into film in 1991, playing a member of a Dublin soul band in "The Commitments." But his defining moment came with "Once," a low-budget 2007 indie film in which he starred alongside Czech musician Markéta Irglová. The two played street musicians falling in love through music, a story that tracked close to Hansard's own life.
The pair co-wrote "Falling Slowly" for the film, and in 2008 the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The movie was later adapted for Broadway, where it won eight Tony Awards in 2012, including best musical. Hansard's solo album "Didn't He Ramble" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album in 2016.
Hansard also served as the long-running front man of the Irish rock band The Frames and formed the rock duo The Swell Season with Irglová. He was a fixture in Dublin's live music scene for decades. Brenda Fricker, another Oscar-winning Irish performer, died earlier this year, and Hansard's passing marks yet another loss for Ireland's creative community.
Every Christmas Eve, Hansard led a public busk outside Dublin's Gaiety Theatre to raise money for a homelessness charity, an annual tradition that drew crowds and became something of an institution in the city.
Bruce Springsteen posted on Instagram that he was "heartbroken" at the loss of "a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man." The Associated Press reported that tributes poured in from across Ireland's political and cultural worlds within hours of the announcement.
Ireland's President Catherine Connolly issued a statement calling Hansard "one of the vital driving influences of the Irish music world, bringing people together in the sharing of live music."
"He will be sorely missed by all who knew him or experienced his work."
Former Irish president Michael D. Higgins described Hansard as a "wonderful musician and performer" who "placed great emphasis throughout his life to the importance of tackling the problems of society." The loss of public figures at unexpected ages has become a recurring theme in recent months, former Super Bowl champion Greg Hawthorne died at 69 just weeks ago.
Breitbart reported that Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said he was "deeply saddened" by the news, calling Hansard "a talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland's cultural landscape over many years."
Actor-comedian Chris O'Dowd offered one of the more personal tributes, saying Hansard's "energizing melodies and soulful, searching voice made the tough times more manageable, the stagnant times more beautiful, and the joyful times even more memorable."
Hansard was not the kind of artist who disappeared behind a studio door. He performed constantly, from pubs to concert halls to sidewalks. In 2023, he stood alongside Irish singer Lisa O'Neill to perform "Fairytale Of New York" at the funeral of Shane MacGowan, the frontman of The Pogues. It was a moment that captured what Hansard meant to Irish music, he showed up, he sang, he carried the weight of the occasion.
Just The News confirmed the basic details of Hansard's death, noting that first responders treated him at the crash site before he was pronounced dead shortly after. The cause of the crash has not been disclosed. The entertainment world has seen a string of such losses recently, including the death of actress Daveigh Chase at just 35.
Hansard's management released a statement through RTÉ: "With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard in the early hours of this morning."
Fox News reported that Hansard is survived by Saaritsa and their son Christy, who is three years old. The couple's life together was quiet by celebrity standards, she a Finnish poet, he a Dublin musician who never left the streets where he started.
No details about funeral arrangements have been released. Irish police have not disclosed what caused the crash, and the coroner's inquest will be the next formal step in determining the circumstances.
Glen Hansard spent his last night doing what he had done since he was a teenager, sitting in a pub, playing music with friends. He rode off into the dark and didn't come home. Some lives are measured by awards and box-office numbers. His is better measured by the fact that a pub, a president, and Bruce Springsteen all said the same thing: he showed up, and he gave what he had.
