At the time of writing, it’s Wednesday evening, Dance The Devil is on repeat and the world is awash with tributes to Glen Hansard. Not exactly how you imagined the evening would pan out, let alone the breaking of the news earlier this morning.
The front man for The Frames, part of The Swell Season, songwriter, actor, activist, poet, troubador and one of Ireland’s mainstays in music, Hansard was killed in a motorbike crash in the early hours of Wednesday morning. He was 56 years old.
Having brought The Frames back to Kilkenny for a show in Cleere’s this past February, Hansard was due to return to Kilkenny with a show at The Hub over the October Bank Holiday weekend off the back of his Don’t Settle live album project. The second and final volume, Transmissions West, was released just over a month ago.
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From band and solo shows in the likes of Cleere’s, Set Theatre, St. Canice’s Cathedral, The Hole In The Wall and more in Kilkenny over a career spanning four decades, Glen Hansard was no stranger to the Marble City.
Among tributes locally, Cleere’s on Parliament Street took to social media, describing the Ballymun native as a ‘giant of Irish music’.
“We are all greatly saddened by the news of the untimely passing of one of Ireland’s greatest songwriters, musicians & performers, Glen Hansard.
We had the great pleasure of hosting Glen many times in Cleere’s over the years.
A Giant of Irish music, who’s kindness and talent will never be forgotten.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.”
John Hegarty, who shared the stage with Glen Hansard for his solo show in Cleere’s in December 2024, described him as ‘a man of unstoppable energy, a champion of Irish music, a wonderful live performer and a very gifted songwriter’.
Hansard, an Oscar winner in 2008 with Markéta Irglová for Best Original Song with Falling Slowly from the film Once was remembered by the team at St. Canice’s Cathedral as ‘a beautiful soul’, recalling time spent in the cathedral as part of a 2022 concert performance.
“A hugely talented musician and a beautiful soul, he really responded to the cathedral as a venue. Before performing he toured the bell chamber with the cathedral bell ringers and he was hugely respectful of, and inspired by, the space and he seemed to get a real kick out of making music in this ancient place. Today our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who mourn his passing and we give thanks for the lives touched with his music. May his memory be a blessing.”
Hansard also made an appearance on the Kilkenny Arts Festival bill – the festival due to return in a week’s time – as part of the Marble City Sessions.
And while he may not be local, Bruce Springsteen did share the stage with Glen Hansard in UPMC Nowlan Park in 2013. In a bittersweet way, the clip of their performance of Drive All Night during the Wrecking Ball Weekender that July, was shard by the Dubliner’s social team only hours before his death.
For Springsteen, Hansard was “always nothing but a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man.”
Hansard, 56, is survived by his wife Maire and son Christy. A book of condolence is due to open at Mansion House in Dublin tomorrow (Thursday), and will be available through Friday from 10am to 4pm. Dublin City Council have also opened a book online, available here until 12 August.
You can read more tributes and details at the links below…
- From 20p a day as a busker to selling out Sydney Opera House: Glen Hansard’s life in music
- ‘A monumental loss’ – Bono, Bruce Springsteen and more pay tribute to ‘one of the greats’ Glen Hansard
- Oscar-winning musician Glen Hansard dies in Dublin crash
- Oscar-winning songwriter Glen Hansard killed in crash
- Glen Hansard: A powerhouse of self-belief and passion (RTÉ obituary)
