Hundreds of mourners gathered at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin this Tuesday to pay their final respects to singer-songwriter Glen Hansard. The Academy Award winner, who was 56, died in a motorcycle crash on the outskirts of Dublin on July 29.
Prominent figures from the music and film industries joined friends and family to honor his legacy. The congregation included Bono, Hozier, Imelda May, and actors Steve Coogan and Chris O’Dowd. Many fans lined the streets outside the cathedral to observe the service, which was broadcast on screens for those unable to fit inside.
The service focused on his life and music. Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder delivered a performance of Hansard’s song The Song of Good Hope alongside Markéta Irglová, who was Hansard’s longtime collaborator. Bono shared memories of Hansard during the service, noting that everyone who met him remembered the specific day they crossed paths.
Hansard’s widow, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, offered a tribute during the ceremony. She read a poem composed early in their relationship and noted that while their young son was not present for the service, he carries forward his father’s spirit.
Hansard achieved international acclaim through his work with The Frames and his role in the film The Commitments. He is perhaps best known for winning an Oscar in 2008 for the song Falling Slowly from the movie Once. His career was marked by significant artistic contributions and consistent charity work, including his long-standing Christmas Eve busking tradition in Dublin to support the homeless.