Stars and fans pack Dublin cathedral for funeral of Oscar-winning musician Glen Hansard

A cathedral filled with music and grief

Hundreds of mourners packed St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin on Tuesday afternoon for the funeral of Glen Hansard, the Oscar-winning frontman of The Frames who died in a motorcycle crash on July 29 at age 56. Large screens were erected outside for the overflow crowd, and fans gathered in St. Patrick's Park to watch a livestream. Among those photographed entering the cathedral were Bono, The Edge, Eddie Vedder, Markéta Irglová, Hozier, Imelda May, Declan O'Rourke, Steve Coogan, Chris O'Dowd, former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, and traditional musician Finbar Furey. A public wake had been held the previous day at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

A widow's farewell

Hansard's wife, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, addressed the congregation with an emotional speech. She began by thanking the gardaí who responded to the crash scene by name, saying she was grateful not only for their aid but "for the humanity they showed me in my most desperate hour."

“I can find no adjective for the kind of support the family has been shown this past week. The word is hidden somewhere in the look in people's eyes and in the depth of their good deeds.”

Saaritsa said their three-year-old son Christy was too young to attend. "The bright spirit he inherited from his father is with us," she added. She closed by reading an early poem she had written for Hansard, which included the lines: "Come to me with beauty. I require it to stay alive."

Musical tributes from friends

Markéta Irglová, who won the Oscar alongside Hansard for "Falling Slowly" from the film Once, joined Eddie Vedder and surviving members of The Frames to perform "Song of Good Hope" from Hansard's 2012 solo album Rhythm and Repose. Two of Hansard's battered acoustic guitars, which he famously played until they were holed, were used in the performance. Thomas Bartlett of The Gloaming, who produced the album, also played.

Later, Bono told the congregation that everyone who met Hansard "remembers the day they met him." He played a voice message from Patti Smith, who could not attend, describing it as "a lullaby for Glen's family and friends." Bono then read U2's "Beautiful Day" as a poem and sang the final chorus with The Edge.

A life in song

Hansard's younger brother Richard delivered a powerful speech, recalling evenings filled with songs and wit. Irish poet Breandáin Ó Beaglaoich read a dedicated piece and called Hansard "generous and truthful" and "a one-off person."

“I'll be fond of you forever, Glen. You beautiful, beautiful man.”

Hansard's career spanned more than three decades. He formed The Frames in 1990, a year before appearing in the BAFTA-winning film The Commitments. His 2016 solo album Didn't He Ramble earned a Grammy nomination. He and Bono were close friends and together launched the annual Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street, which raised money for the Simon Community and marked its fifteenth year. Former US president Barack Obama paid tribute after Hansard's death, calling him a "great musician" and including "Song of Good Hope" on a playlist. Hansard had been performing at a traditional music session at The Wren's Nest pub hours before the crash.