Once star Glen Hansard dies in a motorcycle crash at 56

A star is lost: Glen Hansard, of Once… dies at 56 after a solo motorcycle crash

The man behind an Academy Award triumph and a $20 million box-office myth died early on Sept. 29 in a traffic accident in Dublin

The wandering bard who left Dublin’s night streets for good

The star of the global hit film ‘Once’ and an Irish singer-songwriter who represented the country, ‘Glen Hansard’, has died after an ‘untimely motorcycle crash’. He was 56.

According to major overseas outlets including the UK’s BBC, the late man’s agency, ATC Management, said in a statement on Sept. 29 (local time): “With a tragic traffic accident that happened early this morning in Dublin, ‘Glen Hansard’ has left our side.” The agency added, “As the bereaved family is immersed in grief they cannot measure, we earnestly ask that you respect their privacy during this so harsh a time.”

Local police in Dublin are currently conducting an intensive investigation by tracking down witnesses to a ‘solo motorcycle crash’ that occurred near the L ucan Road in the west, to determine the exact circumstances of the accident.

From busking boy to the driving force behind a $20 million box-office myth

Born in Dublin in April 1970, he hit the streets at just 13 years old, leaving regular schooling behind with nothing but an old guitar on his back. After forming the rock band The Frames in 1990 and planting his musical roots, he soon cemented his place in the public’s mind by appearing in the musical film ‘The Commitments’ the following year.

The decisive turning point that put him on the global-star level was the musical film ‘Once’, released in 2007. Starring alongside Marketa Irglova, a musician from the Czech Republic, the film captured with precision the romance and reality of street musicians. ‘Once’ overcame the inherent limits of being a low-budget independent film and went on to write a miraculous box-office story, bringing in $20 million (about 288 billion won) worldwide. In particular, the main theme song ‘Falling Slowly’ from the project duo ‘The Swell Season’ that the two formed together won the best original song award at the 80th ‘Academy Awards’, leaving a lasting mark on the history of film music.

After that, ‘Once’ was reborn as a Broadway musical, and it pulled off an impressive run in 2012 by sweeping eight wins at the ‘Tony Awards’. He also set a quirky record during his 2009 visit to Korea, when he drew the highest average number of paid viewers for a single show at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts—2,784. In 2015, his solo album ‘Didn’t He Ramble’ received a nomination for the ‘Grammy Awards’ for best folk album, proving his unwavering musical ability.

Honoring the street angel who said he would be a beacon for the poor

‘Glen Hansard’’s life was not lit only under the dazzling lights on stage. From 2010, when Ireland fell into the mire of a serious financial crisis, he led ‘charity busking’ in the middle of Dublin on Christmas Eve, helping social underdogs. The 2 million euros (about 33 billion won) raised through it was donated in full to charities and used for aid for the homeless.

In the wake of the sudden death, mourning ripples are sweeping across cultural and political circles around the world. Irish President Michael D. Higgins said, “He was the greatest singer-songwriter Ireland has ever produced,” and added that, “He was a key driving force in our cultural scene that made the public unite through live music.” Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin also mourned the late artist through an official social media account, calling him “a genius who left an indelible contribution to Ireland’s arts community over decades.”

Bono, the vocalist of the world-famous rock band U2, who had once performed on a ‘charity busking’ stage together with the late artist while he was still alive, said, “He was a warm person who couldn’t ignore the homeless on the street and just had to ask after their well-being,” adding, “We lost a friend whose voice was the voice of the street—and who was, in his own right, a choir of angels.”

The late man is survived by his wife, Mairead Sarihan, a poet from Finland, and a three-year-old son, who adds to the sorrow.