United News of Bangladesh

Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, who won an Academy Award for the 2007 film Once, died in a motorcycle crash near Dublin early Wednesday, his management company said. He was 56. ATC Management told Irish broadcaster RTE that Hansard’s family was “deeply shocked and heartbroken” by his death. Tributes poured in from fellow musicians and artists, including Bruce Springsteen, who said he was “heartbroken” by the loss of “a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man.” Irish police said a man in his 50s died after a single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Lucan, west of Dublin, shortly before 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Police did not identify the man, saying he was treated at the scene but was later pronounced dead. Hansard built a career in both acting and music. He appeared as a member of a Dublin soul band in the 1991 hit film The Commitments before gaining international recognition as a singer-songwriter. He won the Oscar for best original song in 2008 for “Falling Slowly,” which he co-wrote with his Once co-star Markéta Irglová. The film tells the story of two struggling musicians who form a close bond while pursuing their musical ambitions. Once was later turned into a Broadway musical featuring songs by Hansard and Irglová. The stage production won eight Tony Awards in 2012, including best musical. Hansard was the longtime frontman of the rock band The Frames and also formed the musical duo The Swell Season with Irglová. He released several solo albums, including Didn’t He Ramble, which earned a Grammy nomination for best folk album in 2016. Ireland’s President Catherine Connolly described Hansard as one of the country’s great singer-songwriters. “Glen was one of the vital driving influences of the Irish music world, bringing people together in the sharing of live music,” Connolly said. “He will be sorely missed by all who knew him or experienced his work.” Actor and comedian Chris O’Dowd praised Hansard’s “energizing melodies and soulful, searching voice,” saying his music helped make difficult times easier, quiet periods more beautiful and happy moments more memorable. Hansard began his musical journey as a street busker in Dublin. He later became known for leading the city’s annual Christmas Eve busk outside the Gaiety Theatre, where well-known Irish musicians perform for the public to raise money for a homelessness charity. Former Irish President Michael D. Higgins remembered Hansard as a “wonderful musician and performer” who also devoted much of his life to addressing social problems. In 2023, Hansard performed a powerful rendition of The Pogues’ “Fairytale Of New York” with Irish singer Lisa O’Neill at the funeral of The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan. The performance moved mourners, with some members of the congregation dancing in the church aisles. Hansard is survived by his wife, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, and their 3-year-old son, Christy.