GLEN HANSARD

(21 April 1970 – 29 July 2026)

Glen Hansard was not a household name, but he did star in an Oscar-winning film, just the once. Once (2007) won its golden statuette for best original song – ‘Falling Slowly’ – which happened to be performed, written and composed by Hansard himself, along with his co-star and then-partner Markéta Irglová. The film, directed by the estimable John Carney, went on to become a Tony-winning stage musical and Hansard continued his day job as a musician in the world of folk rock. He was just 56 when his motorcycle crashed and killed him in the early hours of July 29, west of Dublin.

Hansard sprung to fame as an actor when he appeared in the ensemble cast of Alan Parker’s Bafta-winning musical comedy-drama The Commitments (1991) scripted by Roddy Doyle, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. It was one of those gloriously fresh, authentic and funny films that you suspect will spawn a generation of new stars, but only Colm Meaney and Andrea Corr, in supporting turns, benefitted from a profitable future. Hansard himself focused on his music and his band The Frames which initially featured John Carney on bass, the latter going on to direct the films Once, Begin Again, Sing Street, Flora and Son and Power Ballad, the latter of which featured a cameo from Hansard.

Hansard and his partner Markéta Irglová were the subject of a documentary, The Swell Season (2011), and he contributed eight songs to the soundtrack of Sean Penn’s 2021 drama Flag Day. He was also a dedicated campaigner for the homeless and established an ‘annual Christmas Eve busk’ which attracted fellow musicians Bono, Sinéad O'Connor and Shane McGowan. Following his death, tributes flooded in from Ed Sheeran, Bruce Springsteen, Chris O’Dowd, Rachel Zegler and Bono.

JAMES CAMERON-WILSON