Glen Hansard, beloved Irish folk musician and star of the 2007 musical movie Once, is dead. He was 56.
The BBC reports that the renowned singer-songwriter was the victim of a tragic single-vehicle motorcycle crash. The accident happened in his home city of Dublin on the morning of July 29. Police are currently seeking witnesses to come forward with any information.
Hansard’s partner and their 3-year-old son survive Him
Hansard was not married at the time of his death. He does leave behind his partner, the poet Maire Saaritsa, and their three-year-old son.
ATC Management, which represented Hansard, has since issued a statement on his passing. “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,” the company stated, per Variety.
“Glen’s family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time,” ATC’s statement added. “The family is grateful for the support they have received and wishes to thank the emergency services who attended the scene.”
Glen Hansard was an acclaimed musician with multiple awards, including an Oscar
Hansard was born in Ballymun, Dublin, Ireland, in 1970. He developed a love of music at a young age and learned to play guitar and sing. He would go on to form bands such as The Frames and Swell Season. The latter is the group that earned him an Oscar.
The Swell Season consisted of Hansard, Czech singer and multi-instrumentalist Markéta Irglová, violinist Marja Tuhkanen, and cellist Bertrand Galen. Together, they wrote “Falling Slowly“, which was included in the film Once. Hansard and Irglová starred in the film, playing semi-fictional versions of themselves as struggling musicians living in Ireland.
The pair were a couple in real life, dating from 2006 until 2009.
Many are mourning the death of Glen Hansard
Following the devastating news of Hansard’s death, many have come out to memorialize the late singer. This includes Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. The Irish PM said he was “deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Glen Hansard.”
“A talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland’s cultural landscape over many years,” Martin added. He went on to send his “sincere sympathies to his family, friends and fans,” per CBS News.
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