DUBLIN, July 30 (V7N) – Oscar-winning Irish singer-songwriter, actor and frontman of the rock band The Frames, Glen Hansard, has died in a motorcycle crash in Dublin. He was 56.
Irish police said the single-vehicle crash occurred on Lower Road in Lucan, west of Dublin, shortly before 4:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Emergency responders arrived at the scene, but Hansard was pronounced dead. Authorities said no other vehicle was involved and have appealed for witnesses to come forward.
Hansard rose to international prominence after co-writing and performing "Falling Slowly" with Czech musician Markéta Irglová for the 2007 independent film Once. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008, and the pair later formed the folk duo The Swell Season.
Born in Dublin in 1970, Hansard began his career as a street musician before founding The Frames in 1990. He also appeared in Alan Parker's 1991 film The Commitments and later hosted RTÉ's acclaimed music programme Other Voices. As a solo artist, his 2015 album Didn't He Ramble earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. The Broadway adaptation of Once went on to win eight Tony Awards.
Beyond music, Hansard was widely recognised for his charitable work, particularly his annual Christmas Eve busking event in Dublin, which raised funds for organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness.
Tributes poured in from across Ireland and the international music community. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and President Catherine Connolly praised Hansard's contribution to Irish culture, while fellow musicians remembered him as a gifted artist, a generous friend and a passionate humanitarian.
Hansard is survived by his wife, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, and their three-year-old son.
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