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Glen Hansard, an Oscar-winning actor known for starring in Once and co-writing “Falling Slowly,” died in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash July 29, police confirmed. He was 56.
By Olivia Evans Jul 29, 2026 2:31 PM | Updated 48 minutes ago
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An Irish star has said goodbye to the world too soon.
Glen Hansard, the Oscar-winning musician known for his role in Once, died July 29 in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Dublin, Ireland, his management confirmed in a statement. He was 56.
“With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard who passed away, in the early hours of this morning, following a road traffic accident in Dublin,” Hansard’s management said in a July 29 statement. “Glen’s family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time.”
The family of the Frames frontman—which includes his wife Maire Saaritsa and 3-year-old son Christy—added in the statement that they are “grateful for the support they have received and wishes to thank the emergency services who attended the scene.”
Hansard, who won an Oscar for Best Original Song with “Falling Slowly” for the Once soundtrack, was killed in the crash around 4:30 in the morning local time on Lower Road in Lucan, in the western part of Dublin, police confirmed in a release obtained by People.
Following Hansard’s death, Ireland’s taoiseach (a.k.a. prime minister) Micheál Martin, was among those who shared his condolences.
“A talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland's cultural landscape over many years,” the politician wrote in a statement shared to social media. “My sincere sympathies to his family, friends, and fans.”
Martin concluded his statement with an Irish phrase that translates to “May his soul be at God’s right hand.”
Jim Bennett/WireImage
Born in Ireland in 1970, Hansard got his start in music by busking around Dublin. Following his and costar Markéta Irglová’s Academy Award win in 2008 for the John Carney movie, Hansard went on to pen the music for the Broadway adaptation of Once, which earned eight Tony awards in 2012, including Best Musical.
More recently, the musician opted for a quieter living, focusing on his love for music and life outside of his career. Over the years, he had built up an extremely dedicated fanbase in his home country.
In his writing, Hansard attempted to keep love for life at the forefront.
“I find myself always singing within the vernacular of the love song, so I always speak about the relationships,” he told The New York Times in 2012. “But it’s also the relationship between me and my country, me and my friends, me and myself, me and my god. It’s not always about me and my girl. That’s just the language I’ve gotten used to using.”
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