Glen Hansard’s Death Sparks Global Tributes and Plans for Posthumous Album

Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard died on a Wednesday in Dublin after a motorcycle crash, aged 56. His family announced a public wake on Monday August 3 in the Baroque Chapel at IMMA, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a funeral on Tuesday August 4 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The funeral will be open to the public, with limited indoor seating; a public address system will broadcast the service outside, and it will be streamed live on Irish news channels.

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Hansard first gained attention as a teenage busker on Dublin streets before forming the folk-rock group The Frames. He achieved international fame starring in the 2007 film *Once*, which earned an Oscar for the song “Falling Slowly.” Over the past two years he had been recording an unreleased album in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, with producer Charlie Hall and a roster of Philadelphia musicians.

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• Age at death: 56

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• Date of wake: August 3 (11 a.m.–4 p.m.)

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• Date of funeral: August 4 (1:30 p.m.)

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• Unreleased album: recorded with contributions from k.d. lang, Sharon Van Etten, and Rachel Goswell; release date not announced.

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Hansard’s family wrote that the wake and funeral would allow fans to pay respects, and asked mourners to donate to Dublin’s Simon Community and Ukrainian Action instead of sending flowers.

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Musicians close to Hansard offered public tributes.

Philadelphia Inquirer

Sources agree the album is complete, but none provide a definitive release schedule. The exact timing of the album’s public launch remains unknown.

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• “Glen came into my life like a tsunami of love and affection,” — Charlie Hall, album with producer — Charlie Hall, album with producer

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• “My dad was quiet, angry, shut down,” — Glen Hansard — Glen Hansard

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• “He said, ‘We can go anywhere you want,’” — Charlie Hall, album with producer — Charlie Hall, album with producer

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• “He was here for that biblical snowstorm,” — Charlie Hall, album with producer — Charlie Hall, album with producer

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• “I was like a fly on the wall,” — Rob Hyman — Rob Hyman

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The memorial wake and funeral will proceed on the scheduled dates, with live broadcasts allowing worldwide audiences to participate. The posthumous album is slated for future release, though no date has been set; fans and collaborators await further announcements from Hall and the estate.

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