I first saw the news on Facebook in a post by Nikki O’Neill. Irish singer/songwriter Glen Hansard died in a single vehicle motorcycle crash around 4:30am local time west of Dublin. My first thought was that another talent has left us too soon.
Hansard is known for his roles in the movies The Commitments (Outspan Foster) and Once (Guy). A fan theory – never confirmed- he is the same character in both movies. The theory is based on Mansard’s last scene in The Commitments where he is seen busking on the streets of Dublin. He is also seen busking on the Dublin streets in the opening of Once. More likely the two scenes are nothing more than homage to Hansard’s days as a street performer in Dublin while a teenager.
Hansard formed the rock group The Frames a year before appearing in The Commitments. They were popular largely in Ireland although they had a cult following elsewhere. The group recorded six studio albums between 1991 and 2006 and released a retrospective album entitled Longitude in 2015.
Hansard was also known for his philanthropy. He never forgot his roots busking as a teenager. In 2010 he started the now annual Christmas Eve busk on Dublin’s Grafton Street to support the Simon Community, a charity in Ireland and the UK that supports and provides services to the homeless. According to artist and friend Colin Davidson, it was Hansard’s way “of getting him and his friends to not just shine a light on the problems of homelessness, but to actually dos something about it financially.”
Hansard also donated all profits from the digital sales of his 2013 EP Drive All Night to Little Kids Rock, now known as Music Will. It is the largest non-profit music program in the United States. The organization restores and revitalizes music education by providing free instruments, lesson plans, and teacher training to underfunded districts across the country.
His Oscar win came in 2008 for the haunting love song “Falling Slowly” featured in Once. The Grammy nominations came in 1992 as a member of The Commitments for their performance in the movie of the same name, in 2008 for Best Song Written For Visual Media and Best Soundtrack for the movie Once, and in 2016 for Best Contemporary Folk Album for Didn’t He Ramble. The Oscar and the two Once-related Grammy nominations were shared with his Once co-star, Marketa Irglova.
Hansard and Irglova also toured and recorded together as The Swell Season. They released four albums and two EPs since 2005. As if performing with the Frames and The Swell Season wasn’t enough to keep him busy, Hansard also toured and recorded as a solo act.
Those who saw Glen Hansard in concert often praise his musicianship and his ability to get concertgoers to sing-along. Those who have witnessed his live performances praised his emotional range and his spontaneity. He was highly regarded as a storyteller on a par with Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, and Hoyt Axton. All of which makes me feel sad for not having experienced one of his concerts myself.
Hansard released two albums earlier this year. Don+t Settle (Vol. 1 – Transmissions East) was released on April 24, 2026, followed by Don+t Settle (Vol. 2 – Transmissions West) on June 26, 2026. The albums are unique in that they are studio albums recorded before a live audience. The two albums are a retrospective of sorts featuring some of his best-loved songs. They also showcase the energy Hansard is known for in his live performances.
Glen Hansard described himself as being in the middle of a good life and part way through a journey of “good fortune, goodwill, and good energy.”
“I’m at an age where I either take my foot off the gas or I put my foot on the gas,” he said. “I think I need to put my foot on the gas.”
Hansard is survived by his partner, the poet Maire Saaritsa, and their 3-year-old son.
