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LAST UPDATE | 13 mins ago
THE FUNERAL OF Glen Hansard is beginning at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin.
The musician and frontman of The Frames died at the age of 56 in a road crash at the Strawberry Beds in west Dublin in the early hours of the morning of 29 July.
Huge crowds have gathered to pay their respects.
While it is open to the public, organisers said in advance that access inside the cathedral would be “extremely limited” due to the numbers expected. People began queueing earlier this morning to be in attendance.
Two television screens and a sound system have been installed in St Patrick’s Park, adjoining the cathedral, so that people unable to get inside can listen to the service.
After the first and second readings, Colm Mac Con Iomaire performs Port na bPúcaí – or The Fairy Lament – alongside Uilleann piper Séamus Ong and Liam Ó Maonlaí of the Hothouse Flowers on the piano.
The service began with Críost Liom, sung by Peadar Ó Riada and Cór Chúil Aodha, the west Cork Gaeltacht male choir.
The Very Reverend Dr William Morton welcomed the congregation and said Hansard’s wife and family appreciated the support for the service, which was being held “in thanksgiving for and in celebration of Glen’s life, talent, generosity and kindness”.
Gifts were then brought to the altar, which included an acoustic guitar presented by Hansard’s Frames bandmate Colm Mac Con Iomaire.
U2′s Bono arrived with his wife Ali Hewson shortly before the service began, as did musician Mundy.
Glen Hansard’s coffin has arrived at St Patrick’s Cathedral ahead of the funeral service.
Applause rang out from the crowd as it passed.
Applause, music and funeral bells as Glen Hansard's coffin arrives at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Wicker casket is adorned with wild flowers
— Rónán Duffy (@ronanduffy.bsky.social) 4 August 2026 at 13:26
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More musicians have arrived for the funeral, including Cait O’Riordan of The Pogues and Irish folk legend Finbar Furey.
The service is due to begin in around 10 minutes’ time.
Paul McGuinness, the former U2 manager, also arrived in the last while – as did broadcaster and singer with Something Happens, Tom Dunne.
Our reporter Rónán Duffy is outside the cathedral waiting for the service to begin.
Former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has arrived, as have the party’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin and MEP Lynn Boylan.
Actors Steve Coogan and Peter McDonald arrived a short time ago, with Chris O’Dowd also in attendance.
Irish film director John Carney, who directed Once, has arrived for the musician’s funeral.
Carney was also a bandmate of Hansard’s. He was the bassist in The Frames for three years and also directed some of their music videos.
More famous faces have begun to arrive for the service, including Irish singer-songwriters Hozier and Declan O’Rourke.
Angeline Ball has also arrived. The Irish actress starred alongside Hansard in the 1991 classic The Commitments.
Two large television screens and a sound system have been installed in St Patrick’s Park, adjoining the cathedral, so that people unable to get inside can listen to the service.
The park is already filled with people.
A number of musicians have begun arriving for the funeral in the last while, including veteran music writer and promoter BP Fallon, Jerry Fish and Imelda May.
There has been an outpouring of grief in Ireland and abroad since Hansard’s death.
On Sunday, thousands queued to pay their respects at a public wake in the Baroque Chapel at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin.
One couple in their 50s told The Journal about how they remember following his music during their college years, and their delight at watching him win an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2008 for his work in the film Once, but most importantly, their respect for his campaigning work on behalf of homeless people.
Gwen from Kildare said that she and her partner followed him “all the way through” his career.
“We grew up with him as part of our background as part of Irish culture, he was such a big name,” her partner Peter said.
“It was really what he did with the buskers for the homeless every Christmas. He was the one who got Bono on board, what he’s done for people, it shows here today there’s so many people here and it’s not surprising, because he touched everyone,” Gwen added.
Fans and mourners have been queueing since before 9.30am this morning to get inside St Patrick’s Cathedral for the funeral.
The Journal‘s Rónán Duffy spoke to some of those who were waiting to get in, including Clarissa Unger, a Washington DC-based longtime fan on Hansard’s music who said she was on holiday in Barcelona with her husband when she heard the news of his passing.
“We were meant to be travelling around Spain, and immediately when we found the news of when the memorial, the funeral, was going to be, we changed our flights to come here,” she said.
“I’m just a huge admirer of Glen and his music and all that he’s done. So it just it felt wrong to not be here. I just wanted to be here amongst all the other folks who are here to honour him and just appreciate all that he’s done.”
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