The funeral of Oscar-winning Irish singer and songwriter Glen Hansard was due to be held later in Dublin after he died in a motorcycle crash in the city last week. The 56-year-old, who rose to prominence in the 1991 musical comedy film The Commitments, was the long-time frontman of acclaimed rock band The Frames.
News of his sudden death shocked the music world and fans alike, with tributes paid by Ed Sheeran, Bono and Bruce Springsteen, who said he was "heartbroken". Many people also paid their respects at a public wake in Dublin on Monday ahead of his funeral in St Patrick's Cathedral on Tuesday, where musical performances by friends and family were expected.
Tributes, candles and flowers were laid in Temple Bar, Dublin, as people signed a book of condolence for Oscar-winning Irish musician Hansard
How did Glen Hansard build his career?
Hansard's life was steeped in music from first picking up a guitar as a teenager right until the final hours of his life, when he was performing in a traditional music session. His career spanned more than three decades and included winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008 with Marketa Irglova for the song featured in the low-budget musical romance film Once.
He and Irglova released three albums as The Swell Season, while Hansard also found success as a solo artist. His 2016 album Didn't He Ramble was nominated for a Grammy in 2016.
He formed The Frames one year before The Commitments and went on to record six studio albums, including Dance The Devil, For The Birds and Irish chart topper Burn The Maps. Hansard also released five solo albums up to 2023's All That Was East Is West Of Me.
What was he known for outside the studio?
The musician, who became a father three years ago, was also hailed by charities for his work in raising money for the homeless. In 2010, he started an annual Christmas Eve busk in Dublin city centre, which attracted high-profile musicians including Sinéad O'Connor and Shane McGowan.
Hansard's friend, artist Colin Davidson, said the busk had become "an international Irish institution in its own right". The annual event became another part of his public legacy, alongside his recordings and film work.
How did fans respond in Dublin?
Following Hansard's death, many people travelled to sign a book of condolence in Temple Bar in Dublin. Thousands of fans queued to pay tribute to the musician during his public wake on Monday at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin.
Fans spoke about going to his concerts and seeing him busking on the street. Danni Rohde, a fan of Hansard's band The Frames, said it "doesn't feel real". Another fan, Chris James, said he saw Hansard busking for the first time 25 years ago on Dublin's Grafton Street.
"I thought it one of the coolest things I'd ever seen and one of the reasons I picked up and started playing guitar," he said.
One fan described his death as a loss to Ireland.
