Oscar winner Glen Hansard, ‘Once’ star and ‘Falling Slowly’ songwriter, dies in motorcycle crash at 56

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Irish singer-songwriter and actor Glen Hansard, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for ‘Falling Slowly’ from ‘Once’, has died at the age of 56 following a motorcycle crash near Dublin

Published - July 29, 2026 07:30 pm IST

Glen Hansard | Photo Credit: AP

Glen Hansard, the Oscar-winning Irish musician whose career spanned music, film and theatre, has died following a motorcycle crash in County Dublin. He was 56. The single-vehicle accident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, with emergency services responding to the scene. His death was later confirmed by his management, which requested privacy for his family.

Hansard rose from busking on the streets of Dublin to become one of Ireland’s most celebrated singer-songwriters. He first gained prominence as the frontman of the rock band The Frames before achieving worldwide recognition through the 2007 independent film Once, in which he starred opposite Markéta Irglová. Together, the pair wrote and performed Falling Slowly, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008 and became one of the defining movie ballads of the century.

Directed by John Carney, Once became an unexpected global success and later inspired a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, cementing Hansard’s place in both music and cinema. Beyond the film, he and Irglová performed as The Swell Season, releasing multiple acclaimed albums before Hansard embarked on a successful solo career that produced five studio records.

Hansard also appeared in Alan Parker’s The Commitments early in his career and continued contributing music to films and television over the years. His work earned Grammy nominations, while his distinctive voice and emotionally direct songwriting made him one of Ireland’s most respected contemporary artists. Outside music, he was widely admired for his charitable work, including annual Christmas Eve busking performances in Dublin that raised funds for homelessness initiatives.

Tributes have poured in from across Ireland and the international music community. Former Irish President Michael D. Higgins hailed Hansard as “an exceptional artist” whose music and humanitarian work left a lasting mark on the country.

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Michael D Higgins (@michaeldhiggins2018)

Hansard is survived by his wife, poet Maire Saaritsa, and their young son.

Published - July 29, 2026 07:30 pm IST

cinema / music / film music / musical films / Music Personalities

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