Glen Hansard, the Irish singer, songwriter and frontman of The Frames, will be laid to rest in a service at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, organisers have confirmed. The news follows a large public wake at the Baroque Chapel in the Irish Museum of Modern Art, where thousands of mourners gathered to pay tribute.
Public mourning and local tributes
The wake at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham’s museum chapel drew a substantial crowd on Monday, reflecting Hansard’s wide appeal across Ireland and beyond. The musician, who was 56 when he died, was killed in a motorcycle crash on the outskirts of Dublin last week. His death came hours after he had taken part in a trad session at The Wren’s Nest pub.
Career highlights and civic contribution
Hansard’s profile extended from bandleader to film contributor. He featured in The Commitments and, with Marketa Irglova, won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008 for "Falling Slowly", written for the film Once. Beyond recorded work and stage performances, he had become known for a long-standing act of civic generosity: for some 16 years he staged a Christmas Eve charity busk outside the Gaiety Theatre, attracting fellow musicians to raise funds for the city’s homeless.
- Wake: Baroque Chapel, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital Kilmainham
- Final service: St Patrick’s Cathedral — 1.30pm
- Age at death: 56; cause: motorcycle crash on Dublin outskirts
What happens next
Organisers have scheduled the funeral service for 1.30pm at St Patrick’s Cathedral. The wake earlier in the week offered an opportunity for public condolence and reflection on Hansard’s contribution to music and charitable causes. His role in both contemporary Irish music and community activism was underlined by the turnout at the museum chapel.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Death | Motorcycle crash on the outskirts of Dublin |
| Age | 56 |
| Public wake | Baroque Chapel, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital Kilmainham |
| Funeral service | St Patrick’s Cathedral, 1.30pm |
| Notable honours | Oscar for Best Original Song (2008) for "Falling Slowly" |
Hansard’s passing has prompted an outpouring of remembrance from fans and fellow musicians. The forthcoming service at St Patrick’s Cathedral will bring together relatives, colleagues and members of the public to mark the life of an artist whose work crossed musical and cinematic boundaries and who maintained a visible commitment to charitable work in Dublin.
