Bono, Vedder, Hozier Mourn Glen Hansard at Dublin Funeral — SkimNews
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- Glen Hansard's funeral was held Tuesday at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, drawing mourners including Bono, The Edge, Eddie Vedder, Hozier, Steve Coogan, and Imelda May, along with representatives of President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin
- The 56-year-old Oscar winner died in a motorcycle crash in Dublin last week, a death that prompted tributes from Ed Sheeran and Bruce Springsteen, who said he was 'heartbroken'
- Bono recited U2's 'A Beautiful Day' at the service before breaking into song, with The Edge approaching the microphone to join in as the congregation sang along
- Eddie Vedder and Hansard's former partner and Oscar co-winner Markéta Irglová performed his song 'The Song of Good Hope,' while Colm Mac Con Iomaire brought a guitar to the altar
- Hansard's widow, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, fought back tears as she thanked him for the life they shared and noted their three-year-old son Christy was 'too young to witness' the service
- The coffin departed the cathedral to a rendition of Bob Dylan's 'Forever Young,' sung by mourners inside the building
- Hansard's legacy included co-winning the 2008 Academy Award for Best Original Song for 'Once,' forming The Frames, releasing five solo albums, and founding an annual Christmas Eve busk in Dublin that raised money for the homeless
Why it matters: Hansard's death at 56 in a motorcycle crash ended a three-decade career that bridged Irish folk traditions, rock, and film — his Oscar-winning 'Once' soundtrack and The Frames catalog influenced a generation of songwriters. The breadth of mourners, from U2 to Pearl Jam's Vedder to Steve Coogan, reflects how his busking roots in Dublin and his global film success made him a rare crossover figure across indie rock, Irish music, and Hollywood.
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