Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard has been killed in a motorbike accident in Dublin.
Hansard, who was 56, was a solo artist, frontman for The Frames and starred in the 2007 Irish romantic musical drama Once. He won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for Falling Slowly, which featured prominently in the film.
Police are appealing for witnesses following the motorbike crash on Lower Road in Lucan, west of Dublin. It was reported to emergency services at around 4.30am.
In a statement, ATC Management said: "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.
"Glen's family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time.
"The family is grateful for the support they have received and wishes to thank the emergency services who attended the scene."
Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin posted on social media that he was "deeply saddened", describing Hansard as a "talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland's cultural landscape over many years".
The story in Once mirrored Hansard’s own life as a young busker in Dublin’s Grafton Street, a music scene from which The Frames and other bands emerged. He went on to secure a role in 1991 musical comedy film The Commitments.
Hansard was one half of The Swell Season with Markéta Irglová, who appeared together in Once. Songs from the film were featured in a musical, which was staged on Broadway as well as in Dublin and London’s West End.
The folk rock duo last year released Forward, their first album since 2009. Hansard also released several solo albums via the Anti- label. He played UK and European dates earlier this year, including at London’s Roundhouse.
Hansard leaves a wife, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, and three-year-old son Christy.
He had an extraordinary gift as a songwriter and performer, but what marked him out just as much was his generosity with his time, his encouragement and his support for others
Victor Finn
IMRO Chair Tom Dunne said: “I had known Glen personally since the mid '90s and for those of us who came up through that Irish music scene, Glen and The Frames were central to a thriving and exciting moment that also included artists such as Turn, Mic Christopher, Bell X1, Damien Rice, Paddy Casey, David Kitt and Damien Dempsey. In that world, the song was everything. From busking on Grafton Street to playing Whelan’s, it was the song that could stop an audience in its tracks, and no one ever doubted Glen’s songs. His Oscar win for Falling Slowly was a triumph for good taste everywhere.
"Glen was also a passionate and loyal friend. The lengths he went to in helping complete Mic Christopher’s album Skylarking after Mic’s untimely death, and in promoting the work of Fergus Farrell’s Interference, were legendary. He did not have to do any of it, but he did it anyway. Such was the man.
"His legacy is enormous. The Frames leave behind a body of work that will endure, Once will continue to play on our screens for many years to come and his later folk-infused solo songs and work with The Swell Season remain rich with emotion. But it is the man we will most remember, always funny, always passionate, and someone you were always delighted to meet.”
IMRO CEO Victor Finn said: “Glen was one of those rare artists whose influence reached far beyond the stage. He had an extraordinary gift as a songwriter and performer, but what marked him out just as much was his generosity with his time, his encouragement and his support for others.
“He never lost that instinct to connect with people, whether through a song, a conversation with a young musician, or by lending his voice to causes that needed support. The Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street became such a powerful expression of that spirit: music offered freely in the heart of the city, to the people of Dublin, in support of people experiencing homelessness. His loss will be felt deeply across the music community, but his songs and his spirit will continue to inspire generations to come.”
Photo credit: Stephan Vanfleteren
