‘It’s Just a Loss’: Fans Mourn Glen Hansard at Dublin Wake
Ninoda.com – It’s just a loss to Ireland. Thousands of mourners gathered in Dublin on Monday to pay their final respects to Glen Hansard, the beloved Irish musician and Oscar winner who died following a tragic motorcycle accident last week. The public wake is being held at the Baroque Chapel inside the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Kilmainham, where hundreds formed a winding queue that stretched around the building. Organizers expect thousands to attend throughout the day to honor the artist’s remarkable life and career.
The procession moved steadily as visitors continued arriving at the IMMA well into the morning hours. Ronan Buckley traveled with his wife Rebecca and their daughters Leah and Lily to join the tribute.
“I’ve been to loads of his concerts and his music was fantastic. His outlook on life was brilliant. We felt we had to be here,” said Ronan Buckley.
He explained that bringing their children was meaningful, noting they had grown up as fans through their parents’ devotion to Hansard’s work. Rebecca Buckley echoed these sentiments, describing the musician’s passing as a profound loss for the nation.
Fans Share Personal Memories
Danni Rohde, accompanied by her mother Miriam Rohde Joyce, is among the devoted followers of Hansard’s band The Frames. She has attended approximately fifty of their shows, including one of his last performances on July 3 at Trinity College Dublin.
“It’s just such a big part of my late teens, early 20s. That whole part of my life is just tied to Frames gigs, when they were playing more or less every weekend. It doesn’t really feel real,” Danni told BBC News NI.
Her mother Miriam added that attending the wake was important to them personally.
Meanwhile, Chris James found himself near the front of the queue after waiting roughly half an hour. He recalled witnessing Hansard busking on Dublin’s Grafton Street twenty-five years prior, an experience that inspired him to begin playing guitar himself.
“I thought it one of the most coolest things I’d ever seen and one of the reasons I picked up and started playing guitar. I met him a couple of times. Just a lovely fellow, totally unassuming, wanted the best for everybody, knew that there was an awful lot of hardship around and instead of giving out about it, he just wanted to bring people together,” Chris shared.
A Storied Career Remembered
Hansard’s funeral service is scheduled for Tuesday at St Patrick’s Cathedral in central Dublin at 13:30 local time. The unexpected news of his death sent shockwaves through both the music industry and his devoted fanbase. Prominent figures including Ed Sheeran and Bruce Springsteen offered heartfelt tributes, with Springsteen expressing that he was heartbroken. Read more on BBC News for updates on the memorial arrangements.
Over a career spanning more than thirty years, Hansard achieved remarkable success. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008 alongside Marketa Irglova for the track featured in the independent film Once. The duo subsequently released three albums together under the name The Swell Season. Hansard also enjoyed solo success, with his 2016 album Didn’t He Ramble receiving a Grammy nomination that same year.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is Glen Hansard’s funeral? The funeral service will take place on Tuesday at St Patrick’s Cathedral in central Dublin at 13:30 local time.
What caused Glen Hansard’s death? The Oscar-winning musician died following a motorcycle accident that occurred last week.
Where is the public wake being held? The wake is being held at the Baroque Chapel within the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Kilmainham, Dublin.
What are some of Glen Hansard’s major achievements? Hansard won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008 for Once, released three albums with The Swell Season, and received a Grammy nomination for his 2016 album Didn’t He Ramble.
Who paid tribute to Glen Hansard? Prominent figures including Ed Sheeran and Bruce Springsteen offered heartfelt tributes following the news of his passing.
