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Glen Hansard performing at Firenze Rocks festival 2019 in Florence, Italy Alamy
Must ReadPublic wake
Glen Hansard’s funeral to be held in St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin on Tuesday
A public wake is being held in Dublin on Monday between 11am and 4pm.
GLEN HANSARD’S FUNERAL will take place on Tuesday 4 August in St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin.
The funeral will be open to the public, but access will be “extremely” limited due to the number of people expected to attend. The mass will also be livestreamed.
Music at the funeral will be provided by Hansard’s friends and family.
A public wake will also be held in the Baroque Chapel at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin on Monday between 11am and 4pm.
His family has asked that instead of flowers or gifts, anyone wishing to pay tribute is invited to make a donation to the Simon Community or Ukrainian Action.
Hansard was killed in a road crash at the Strawberry Beds near Lucan in West Dublin in the early hours of Wednesday morning. He was 56 years old.
He was an Oscar-winning songwriter and lead singer with Dublin band The Frames.
Hansard was married to the Finnish poet Maire Saarista, with whom he had a young son.
‘The most powerful, passionate performer’
Hansard’s death has led to an outpouring of tributes.
He was a friend of Shane MacGowan and performed ‘A Fairytale of New York’ at his funeral Mass in 2023.
MacGowan’s wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, posted a video of this performance on her social media with the caption: “I would not have survived this long without Glen’s support and friendship and I know that Shane MacGowan will have welcomed him with a pint and a hug.”
I would not have survived this long without Glen’s support and friendship and I know that @ShaneMacGowan will have welcomed him with a pint and a hug https://t.co/YRaDDCoklZ
— @victoriamary (@Victoriamary) July 30, 2026
Damien Dempsey described him as “the most powerful passionate performer I ever shared a stage with”, while Billie Eilish said she “wouldn’t be who I am today without Glen”.
Bono also released a lengthy tribute to Hansard, calling him “otherworldly” and “a smiling rascal if you needed him to be”, with former US president Barack Obama describing him as a “great musician”.
Musicians gathered in Dublin city centre yesterday to remember Hansard by playing some of his songs near the spot where he led an annual busking event every Christmas.
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