DUBLIN (AP) 鈥� Hundreds of mourners, including Irish musicians and entertainers, filled a Dublin cathedral on Tuesday for the funeral of Academy Award-winning singer-songwriter , who died in a motorcycle crash last week, aged 56.
Actors Steve Coogan and Chris O鈥橠owd and musicians including Bono, Hozier, Declan O鈥橰ourke and Imelda May were in the congregation alongside friends, family and fans who had queued for hours outside St. Patrick鈥檚 Cathedral.
A large crowed watched on big screens outside as pallbearers carried a wicker coffin topped with flowers into the cathedral.
William Morton, the dean of St Patrick鈥檚 Cathedral, said: 鈥淕len鈥檚 remarkable gifts and outstanding talent, which touched so many hearts, took him from the streets of Dublin to audiences across the globe.鈥�
The funeral service was interwoven with music, including a performance by Pearl Jam鈥檚 Eddie Vedder, who sang Hansard鈥檚 鈥淭he Song of Good Hope鈥� alongside Hansard鈥檚 longstanding musical partner Mark茅ta Irglov谩.
U2’s Bono said of Hansard: 鈥淓veryone who met him, they just remembered the day they met him.鈥�
Bono held up his phone to play a message he’d received from singer and poet Patti Smith performing 鈥渁 lullaby for Glen鈥檚 family and friends,鈥� before reciting lyrics to U2鈥檚 鈥淏eautiful Day.鈥�
Hansard was killed in a single-vehicle crash on the outskirts of Dublin on July 29, hours after taking part in a trad music session at a pub.
His widow, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, who thanked the police officers who came to his aid, read a poem she had written for him early in their relationship.
She said the couple’s 3-year-old son was too young to attend or understand the funeral, but 鈥渢he bright spirit he inherited from his father is with us.鈥�
Hansard was the longtime front man of Irish rock band The Frames and played a member of a Dublin soul band in the hit 1991 movie 鈥淭he Commitments.鈥� He won an Oscar in 2008 for the song 鈥淔alling Slowly鈥� from the movie 鈥淥nce,鈥� in which he co-starred with Irglov谩. A stage adaptation won eight Tony Awards in 2012.
Hansard also was half of rock duo The Swell Season with Irglov谩 and released solo albums including 鈥淒idn鈥檛 He Ramble,鈥� which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Folk Album in 2016.
For many years he led a Christmas Eve busk outside Dublin鈥檚 Gaiety Theatre, where members of the public gathered to see famous Irish musicians perform in aid of a homelessness charity.
Tributes have been paid by fellow musicians. Bruce Springsteen said on Instagram he was 鈥渉eartbroken鈥� at the loss of 鈥渁 great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man.鈥�
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
