Musicians Pay Tribute to Late Irish Singer-Songwriter Glen Hansard
Artists including Bruce Springsteen, Bono and Finneas O’Connell honored Glen Hansard after his death in a motorcycle crash near Dublin, highlighting his influence on music and film.
Glen Hansard, the Irish singer-songwriter who co-wrote the Oscar-winning song “Falling Slowly” from the film Once, died in a motorcycle crash near Dublin at age 56. The news prompted tributes from a range of musicians.
Bono wrote a reflective essay recalling Hansard’s generosity, noting that he would check on people living on the streets and worked to help reduce homelessness. He described Hansard as an “angelic presence” and said he would “always be everywhere I see a coin spinning into an open guitar case.”
Bruce Springsteen posted on social media that he had met Hansard in Ireland years earlier and remembered him as “a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man…always positive, smiling and ready to sing.”
Finneas O’Connell, who performed “Falling Slowly” onstage at age 11, said Hansard’s songs inspired him to write music and that the family felt “heartbroken” by the loss. His mother, Maggie Baird, added that Hansard had been a “force” in their lives and expressed gratitude for his impact on their artistic work.
Searchlight Pictures, the distributor of Once, said it was “devastated by the loss” and praised Hansard’s melodies for giving voice to “first love, first heartbreak and many milestones” for a generation of filmgoers. Lin-Manuel Miranda called him a “once-in-a-lifetime songwriter,” while Josh Groban described him as “an absolute gem of a man” whose kindness preceded his talent. Irish musician Hozier posted an extended tribute, noting Hansard’s central role in Irish storytelling on stage, screen and street, and his lasting influence on fellow artists.
The collective statements underscore Hansard’s broad impact across music, film and the Dublin community.