Glen Hansard Honoured at Dublin Memorial Busk

Musicians and hundreds of fans gathered in Dublin city centre for a memorial busk to honour Oscar-winning singer-songwriter Glen Hansard. The tribute event took place near Grafton Street, close to where Hansard previously held his annual Christmas Eve charity busk. The gathering concluded earlier than scheduled due to the significant turnout.

Hansard, 56, died in a motorcycle crash on the outskirts of Dublin. He was the frontman of the band The Frames and featured in the film The Commitments. He also won an Oscar for best original song for 'Falling Slowly' in 2008, which he co-wrote with Markéta Irglová for the movie Once.

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Organised Tribute and Public Condolences

Jamie Harrington, a friend of Hansard from his home suburb of Ballymun, organised the memorial busk. Harrington told the Press Association that he wanted to provide a space for fans to gather and share their sadness. He noted that one participating musician played a guitar gifted by Hansard. "Glen has touched so many people’s lives by never even meeting them," Harrington said, as reported by The Standard. "His music resonates with people all over the world."

In addition to the busk, members of the public queued at Dublin's Mansion House to sign a book of condolence. Visitors described Hansard as a "musician’s musician" with a talent for uniting people.

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Global Tributes

News of Hansard's death prompted tributes from musicians worldwide. Bruce Springsteen described him as "a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man". U2 frontman Bono referred to Hansard as an "angelic presence" and a "smiling rascal". Other notable figures sending condolences included Bob Geldof, Ed Sheeran, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Billie Eilish stated that she "wouldn’t be who I am today without Glen". Damien Dempsey, a fellow musician, called Hansard the "Ballymun Bard" and "one of the finest songwriters I ever heard", as reported by The Standard. Dempsey added that Hansard possessed "a monumental power and a monumental loss."

Locals also shared their memories. Gary Carroll, a banjo player from Malahide, told The Standard that Hansard "never forgot where he came from" and had a gift for bringing out the best in people through music. Senator Frances Black noted Hansard's encouragement of young musicians entering the industry.