Oscar-winning Irish musician Glen Hansard, 56, dies in motorbike crash as family ‘deeply shocked’ by tragedy amid probe

LEGENDARY musician Glen Hansard has been named as the man who tragically lost his life in a motorbike crash in Dublin this morning. The award-winning singer-songwriter, 56, sadly passed away at the scene of the single-vehicle collision near Strawberry Beds in Lucan shortly before 4:30am. Glen Hansard tragically passed away at the scene Credit: Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images Gardai at the scene of the fatal collision in the Strawberry Beds area Credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire In an emotional statement to RTE this afternoon, Glen’s agents 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. Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter Thank you! “The family is grateful for the support they have received and wishes to thank the emergency services who attended the scene. “As this matter remains the subject of an active Garda investigation, no further comment will be made at this time.” Glen Hansard first emerged from Dublin’s busking scene Credit: Luciano Viti/Getty Images Hansard played guitarist Outspan Foster in The Commitments Credit: Alamy Stock Photo Gardai and emergency services rushed to the scene of the collision on the R109 Lower Road, between Tinkers Hill and Rugged Lane, after being alerted to the crash in the early hours of this morning. Officers have launched an investigation into the fatal crash and Forensic Collision Investigators this morning preserved the scene for examination. Glen was best known as the frontman of rock band The Frames and for his roles in the Irish movies The Commitments and Once. He split his time between Finland and Ireland as he was married to Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, with the couple welcoming their first child in October 2022. Most read in Showbiz Speaking of his joy at becoming a first-time dad at the age of 52 after welcoming son Christy, Glen told the Sunday World: “It’s the most incredible thing that has ever happened to me. “You would imagine anyone would say that…that’s exactly how it feels, it’s the most abstract and beautiful. “Suddenly you realise that everything is secondary, one’s life, one’s career, one’s thoughts. “I’m not the most important person in my own life anymore… that’s a very natural thing, one day I was and the next day I wasn’t.” Ryan Tubridy led the tributes to Glen in an emotional social media post this afternoon. He said: “I’ve been a fan, an admirer and thanks to multiple chats on TV and radio, an interviewer of this extraordinarily talented singer and storyteller. “Apart from his talent as an artist, he also cared. He cared about the homeless and he cared about Ireland. “The Oscar, the achievements and the humanity were all part of a life well lived. Glen and Czech musician Marketa Irglova pose with their Academy Awards in 2008 Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Glen performing before then President Barack Obama and then Taoiseach Enda Kenny at a St Patrick’s Day celebration in Washington in 2011 Credit: AP Photo “Condolences to Glen’s family and his legion of fans. We have lost one of the greats. May he rest in peace.” British writer and television presenter Dawn O’Porter said Glen was “the loveliest man”. She wrote: ‘Sitting in Dublin and this horrible news just came on the radio. I was lucky to meet Glen Hansard a few times. The loveliest man. “I’m sorry to everyone who will feel this so deeply. His family. The saddest news.” Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he was “deeply saddened” to learn of Glen’s passing. He added: “A talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland’s cultural landscape over many years. My sincere sympathies to his family, friends, and fans.” Former Irish President Michael D Higgins said Glen was a “wonderful musician and performer”, whose gift for storytelling “brought so much joy”. He added: “Throughout his career, Glen made a particularly noteworthy effort to keep alive the work of all those who had gone before him, keeping alive the songs of previous generations of Irish musicians and singers who had influenced him, as well as the songs of departed friends such as Mic Christopher and Fergus O’Farrell. “Glen also placed great emphasis throughout his life to the importance of talking the problems of society, including regular work in drawing attention to the problem of homelessness. “This work drove his annual Christmas Eve busk, which raised money for those suffering from homelessness and related causes at Christmas.” One of Ireland’s most celebrated musicians, Glen won an Oscar for Best Song with musical partner Marketa Irglova from movie Once, and sold out venues around the world. The Ballymun man first emerged from the busking scene, spending years playing tunes by his musical heroes Bob Dylan and Van Morrison on Dublin’s Grafton Street. In 1990 at the age of 20, he decided to form his own band The Frames, who became a major force on the Irish music scene. But his first brush with fame was playing guitarist Outspan Foster in director Alan Parker’s Irish movie The Commitments. He had been an up-and-coming indie musician when the successful director cast him as the pony-tailed guitarist ­in the smash hit. But speaking to RTE in 2016, the star said that although making the film was a joy, the success that came with the movie “did a number on a couple of us”. He said: “I witnessed not only myself, but my dear friends, kind of go off their rocker a little bit after the experience, after the American [release]. “Not the film – the film was [a] wonderful experience, very easy. “We were in Dublin, it was get up at seven in the morning, work all day and go home. And there was a car to pick you up in the morning, so it was easy. It was a joy.” Glen also enjoyed success in low budget film Once, which told the story of a Dublin busker Credit: SAMSON FILMS / Album The legendary singer taking part in Dublin’s Christmas Street busk in 2025 Credit: Conor O Mearain/PA Wire However, Glen said that when he returned from America following the films success, he “rejected the experience” and threw himself into work with The Frames. The star previously admitted the experience of making the feel-good movie was tainted for him due to a bust-up with late director Alan Parker. He revealed the six-time Oscar-winner took him aside, as they were wrapping on the 1991 movie, to tell him “something awful.” Glen said: “I was shocked . . Alan said to me, ‘There’s always one on every movie I do’, and he said a word, an awful word I won’t repeat, it was something very rude, and he said, ‘I didn’t think it would be you’.” The singer would later enjoy more celluloid success in low budget film Once, which told the story of a Dublin busker who connects with a Czech immigrant, played by Markéta Irglová, through music. The movie’s signature song Falling Slowly went on to scoop Best Original Song at the Oscars in 2008. Yet Glen admitted he was always worried that his acting might distract him from his music. He said: “Nothing wrong with acting, it’s just not for me.” For years, Glen led the Christmas Eve charity busk outside The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin city, where members of the public gathered to see famous Irish musicians perform in aid of the Dublin Simon Community. He also took part in protests against Ireland’s housing crisis, a march to mark three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the anti-austerity water charge protests in 2014. At the funeral of The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan in 2023, Hansard performed Fairytale Of New York with Irish singer Lisa O’Neill, which prompted dancing in the aisles of the Co Tipperary church. Gardai have asked anyone who may have witnessed the fatal crash near Strawberry Beds this morning to come forward and assist in their investigation. A spokesperson for the force said: “Gardai are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward. Road users who may have relevant camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area at the time are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai. “Anyone with information is asked to contact Lucan Garda Station at (01) 666 7300, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.” Comment now