Glen Hansard, the Irish singer and Oscar-winning actor best known for the film Once, died early Wednesday morning after a motorbike crash in Dublin. He was 56.
Final video with Bruce Springsteen
Just hours before the crash, Hansard posted a throwback video on social media showing him performing Bruce Springsteen's 1980 hit Drive All Night alongside the rocker on stage in Kilkenny, Ireland, in 2013. The clip showed the pair sharing a microphone as they sang together. The caption read: "This week in 2013 Glen had the honor of joining Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band on stage in Kilkenny for Drive All Night, which Glen released his own version of later that year. Were you there?"
Fans flooded the comments with shock. One wrote: "I really hope it’s not real, just a hoax... GLEN. You are loved." Another added: "Your music and energy were pure love." Celebrities including Dawn O’Porter and Ryan Tubridy also paid tribute.
Family statement and investigation
Hansard's family confirmed his death in a statement: "With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard, who passed away in the early hours of this morning following a road traffic accident in Dublin. Glen's family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time. The family is grateful for the support they have received and wishes to thank the emergency services who attended the scene. As this matter remains the subject of an active Garda investigation, no further comment will be made at this time."
Gardaí launched an investigation into the single-vehicle collision in Lucan, Dublin. Forensic Collision Investigators preserved the scene for examination. Hansard was pronounced dead shortly after being treated at the scene.
Career and legacy
Hansard was best known for his role in the 2007 music drama Once, in which he played a Dublin busker who connects with a Czech immigrant, played by Markéta Irglová. He co-wrote the song Falling Slowly with Irglová, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song. The film was later adapted into a Broadway musical in 2012, winning eight Tony Awards, and enjoyed success in London's West End.
Earlier in his career, he played guitarist Outspan Foster in the 1991 film The Commitments. He was also one half of the rock duo The Swell Season and released solo albums, including Didn’t He Ramble, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album in 2016.
At the funeral of The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan in 2023, Hansard performed Fairytale Of New York with Irish singer Lisa O’Neill, prompting dancing in the aisles of the Co Tipperary church.
Personal life and upcoming tours
Hansard is survived by his wife, poet Maire Saairtsa, and their three-year-old son, Christy. The couple married in 2022, with Hansard saying his mother's death in 2020 prompted him to propose. He had several upcoming tour dates scheduled in London, Norway, and Sweden, followed by shows in Ireland in October, including Cork, Limerick, Killarney, Sligo, Galway, and Belfast.
