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Glen Hansard

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Obituary

Terrible news that Glen Hansard has died in a motorcycle crash in Dublin. I have som Frames albums that I like a lot, enjoyed him in Once and I walked beside him for a while on a protest march in Shannon at the start of the Iraqui invasion. RIP.

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  2. Oh bollocks. Horrible, horrible news. He seemed genuinely lovely, much loved and always interesting. Star Star is one of the great songs. Once is a wonderful film.

    Condolences to his family.

  4. I’d admit to only really knowing him through The Commitments and Once but have always been aware there was much more to his musical career than that. Very tragic, and much too young. RIP.

  6. A shock. One concert at a small local hall down here, he wouldn’t stop. Paraded out the doors and continued on in front of the pizza shop across the road.
    Somewhat manic.
    A passionate individual.

  8. The Frames in the back room of the Portland Arms is one of my best ever gigs.

    And The Commitments inspired me to form a band (on the steps of the cinema as I was leaving).

    He’ll be sorely missed.

  10. Very sad news today. Outside Ireland, it would be hard to understand how well known and well regarded Glen Hansard was. The radio and TV have talked about little else all day and his death was the first story on the news. Other than his music with the Frames, the Swell Season and solo, much of the coverage was about his activism and fundraising especially for the Simon community who work with the homeless. Glen was the main man behind the annual Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street, now a major annual event with many leading lights of Irish music joining in. He was clearly ubiquitous and much loved around the country having played everywhere in venues large and small.

    On a personal level, he was the man who put Ballymun, our mutual home town on the map. He was a few years younger than me but we went to the same schools. The evening news had footage of him coming back to our primary school with his Oscar for Falling Slowly from the film Once and his battered guitar. That turned on my waterworks. When he made his film debut in the Commitments it was the first representation of my Dublin in film. I was in London by then and it was brilliant to see it becoming a huge success. My Da casually mentioned that he knew one of the actors from the film and it turned out that he and Glen’s Da were great friends. My father was not a truthful man in general so I took the opportunity to sidle up to Glen in the crowd at the Town and Country Club where the Frames were supporting Edwyn Collins. He confirmed that he knew my father well and we had a nice chat about growing up in the Mun. Some years later, my sister and I hopped into a taxi in Dublin and the driver mentioned that his son was in a band. Sure enough it was Mr Hansard who was delighted to meet his old friend’s children and told us carefully edited stories of his antics.

    I wasn’t really a big Frames fan until I moved back to Ireland and was more exposed to their music. I grew to love his voice and I regarded their music as improving as the years went by. They were a great live act although he could really talk at length between songs. The appearance in Once and the subsequent Oscar was hugely enjoyable for the country and it was great to hear him throwing some Irish into his speech.

    For any Afterworders unfamiliar with his work, there’s a huge catalogue to catch up with. Maybe start with the live album Set List. Most of you will probably find something you like. Here’s one of my favourites…

    Glen Hansard RIP. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

  11. Very sad news. Got Another Love Song off the shelf & found a ticket stub inside from their show in Brisbane in 2005 that I’d completely forgotten I’d attended. Good band.

  12. Just watched The Commitments. GH has a relatively minor role, but the film is as hilarious as I remember. You couldn’t make that script these days which is half the joy.

  16. I had one pint with him in Dublin, once, possibly in the Gingerman (although there’s a chance the choice of pub might have been wishful thinking on my part.) Memorably, he insisted that he and I were exactly the same age – to the day – which indeed we are/were. I have absolutely no idea how he knew that, other than the fact that we certainly had some friends in common. And agree with Bamber above, Set List is a great place to start with the Frames. Ní fheicfimid a leithéid arís.

  18. I just watched the service on YouTube. It was very sad. A real mourning for a greatly loved person snatched away.
    Wonderful performances including his older brother Gary and remarkable eulogies by his younger brother and Glen’s wife.
    RIP

    • Seems daft to say it, but don’t Glen’s brothers look like him?

      Bono had his arm in a sling and Edge must have been cold, as he kept his beanie hat on throughout.

      Don’t ride motorbikes at four in the morning, kids…

      RIP

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