Oscar-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, whose haunting ballad “Falling Slowly” helped turn the indie film “Once” into an international sensation, died Wednesday following a motorcycle crash near Dublin. He was 56.
Hansard’s management confirmed his death, saying his family was “deeply shocked and heartbroken.”
Irish police said a man in his 50s died in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Lucan, on the outskirts of Dublin, shortly before 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Emergency crews treated the rider at the scene, but he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Hansard was best known worldwide for starring in the 2007 Irish musical drama “Once,” opposite Markéta Irglová. The low-budget film followed two struggling musicians whose relationship blossomed through music on the streets of Dublin.
Made on a shoestring budget, “Once” became an unlikely box-office success, grossing roughly $23 million worldwide and launching Hansard onto the international stage. The film later inspired a Broadway adaptation that won eight Tony Awards.
The movie’s signature song, “Falling Slowly,” earned Hansard and Irglová the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008. The stripped-down acoustic ballad became one of the defining songs of the decade and remains closely tied to the film’s enduring popularity.
Nie żyje Glen Hansard.
Irlandzki piosenkarz, autor piosenek, w tym oscarowej “Falling Slowly” zginął w środę w wypadku drogowym pod Dublinem pic.twitter.com/AxU6vQ3ju9— Magda ☢ (@MagdaGibbson) July 29, 2026
Long before “Falling Slowly” made him an Oscar winner, Hansard had already built a reputation as one of Ireland’s most respected musicians.
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Born in Ballymun, Dublin, in 1970, he began busking as a teenager before founding the rock band The Frames in 1990. The group developed a loyal following across Ireland and beyond over the following decades.
Hansard also ventured into acting early in his career, portraying guitarist Outspan Foster in Alan Parker’s 1991 film “The Commitments.”
Following the success of “Once,” he and Irglová continued performing together as The Swell Season while Hansard also pursued a solo career.
His 2015 solo album “Didn’t He Ramble” earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album.
Despite achieving international fame, Hansard remained closely connected to Dublin’s music scene. Each Christmas Eve, he joined fellow musicians outside the Gaiety Theatre for a charity busking event benefiting the Dublin Simon Community, helping raise more than €2 million for homelessness services over the years.
He also took part in one of Ireland’s most emotional public tributes when he and singer Lisa O’Neill performed “Fairytale of New York” at the December 2023 funeral of Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, prompting mourners to sing and celebrate the late musician’s life.
Hansard’s influence extended well beyond Ireland. In 2013, he joined Bruce Springsteen onstage at Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park for a performance of “Drive All Night.”
Tributes poured in across Ireland within hours of news of his death.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin wrote on X that 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 posted.
Waterboys frontman Mike Scott also paid tribute on X, writing, “Just heard that Glen Hansard has died. Travel on well, Buddy. You made your dreams come true. I’m so sorry that he leaves his wife and 3-year-old child.”
Hansard is survived by his wife, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, and their son, Christy.
From busking on the streets of Dublin to standing on the Oscar stage, Hansard built a career that made him one of Ireland’s most celebrated musical voices.
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