Oscar-winning Irish musician and actor Glen Hansard has died following a motorcycle crash in Dublin, his management confirmed on Wednesday. He was 56.
“With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard in the early hours of this morning,” ATC Management said in a statement posted on his official website.
The statement added that his family was “deeply shocked and heartbroken” and requested privacy during this difficult time.
According to Irish police, Hansard was involved in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash on Lower Road in Lucan, west of Dublin, shortly before 4:30am local time. Emergency responders treated him at the scene, but he later died from his injuries.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident and appealed for witnesses or anyone with relevant camera footage to come forward.
Born in Dublin in 1970, Hansard began his career as a street busker before founding the rock band The Frames in 1990.
He made his acting debut as guitarist Outspan Foster in Alan Parker’s 1991 film The Commitments, before gaining international acclaim for starring alongside Czech musician Marketa Irglova in the 2007 independent film Once.
Hansard and Irglova won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly,” which they wrote for Once. The story was later adapted into a Broadway musical that went on to win eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
The pair also performed together as The Swell Season, while Hansard’s solo album Didn’t He Ramble earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album in 2016.
Beyond his artistic achievements, Hansard was widely recognised for his commitment to charitable causes, particularly his work to combat homelessness. In 2010, he founded Dublin’s annual Christmas Eve charity busk, an event that featured artists including Bono, Sinéad O’Connor, Imelda May and Shane MacGowan.
Paying tribute, the Dublin Simon Community said Hansard had given his “time, talent and heart” to the organisation for 15 years, describing him as “a giant in the fight against homelessness” whose dedication to social justice would remain a lasting part of his legacy.