Stars of The Commitments joined Bono, Steve Coogan and Gerry Adams at the funeral of Oscar-winning Irish musician Glen Hansard at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin on Tuesday.
Musician, activist and The Commitments movie star Hansard died in an early-hours motorcycle crash on the outskirts of Dublin last week.
Hansard, 56, had featured in the celebrated film The Commitments, and won an Oscar for best original song for Falling Slowly in 2008, which he co-wrote with Marketa Irglova for the movie Once.
The Commitments star Angeline Ball, who played Imelda Quirke in the 1991 film, led mourners at Tuesday’s service, which took place 24 hours after a wake for Hansard was attended by thousands of well-wishers.
U2 frontman Bono was seen greeting other mourners as he arrived with his wife Ali Hewson and daughters Jordan and Eve, after paying tribute to his friend in a lengthy statement after his death.
Steve Coogan, who collaborated closely on an experimental stage musical adaptation of Coogan’s film Philomena, was also among the high profile mourners.
The Commitments star Angeline Ball joined Steve Coogan and Gerry Adams at the funeral of Oscar-winning Irish musician Glen Hansard at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin on Tuesday
U2 frontman Bono was seen greeting other mourners as he arrived with his wife Ali Hewson and daughters Jordan and Eve
Singer Imelda May was also seen arriving for the service. Imelda paid a heartfelt tribute to her friend of 35 years last week. She often joined Hansard on his annual Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street in Dublin to raise money for the Simon Community.
Hansard was also one half of the rock duo The Swell Season and released solo albums including Didn’t He Ramble, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Folk Album in 2016.
For years he led the Christmas Eve charity busk outside The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin city, where members of the public gathered to see famous Irish musicians perform in aid of the Dublin Simon Community.
He also took part in protests against Ireland’s housing crisis, a march to mark three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and he joined anti-austerity water charge protests in 2014.
Hansard also recorded a song called Take Heart, in October 2022, expressing support for Ukraine following the country’s invasion by Russia – with Hansard backed on the track by Irglová, U2 frontman Bono and Ukrainian refugees.
Hansard toured in the past with Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder, sang the track Coyote at Joni Mitchell’s 75th birthday celebration in Los Angeles in 2018 and also sang live alongside artists including Bruce Springsteen and Ed Sheeran.
Former Irish president Michael D Higgins said Hansard was a ‘wonderful musician and performer’ who had a gift for storytelling.
He also praised the musician for having ‘also placed great emphasis throughout his life on the importance of tackling the problems of society, including regular work in drawing attention to the problem of homelessness’.
Bono said in a statement: ‘Sometimes I would wonder if Glen Hansard really existed….Seriously, he was such an angelic presence… not otherworldly…in fact, very present this presence…
‘A smiling rascal if you needed him to be… this most musical and mischievous archangel of Ballymun… no airs, plenty of graces…
The frontman of Irish band The Frames was killed in a motorcycle crash on the outskirts of Dublin, hours after taking part in a trad session at The Wren’s Nest pub
Steve Coogan collaborated closely on an experimental stage musical adaptation of Coogan’s film Philomena
Gerry Adams was among the high-profile mourners at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
Musician, activist and The Commitments movie star Hansard died in an early-hours motorcycle crash on the outskirts of Dublin last week. He is seen taking part in the annual Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street, Dublin, in December 2019
‘Of course, Glen was the shining star of the Christmas Eve busk… sometimes the only one reminding the rest of us that Christmas began with a refugee born in a manger, which is hardly a step from living on the street.
‘To be utterly yourself by being more interested in others – a clue for any of us trying out different personas.
‘He really was who you thought he was. He could never walk by a person living rough without checking they were OK… and more than that, he worked very hard so that less people had to live on the streets in the first place.
‘When the crowds got bigger and for safety’s sake Glen had to agree to move the busk to a stage kindly provided outside The Gaiety Theatre, he would say ‘we’ll give it our best but it’s not a busk if we’re not on the street!’ …because that’s who he was – a performer at eye level in any situation.
‘The stage was a separation he wouldn’t recognize. Of all the grand and gigantic venues he and The Frames played, you sensed the street was his most favoured place to perform. And street people, his favourite audience.
Singer Imelda May pictured arriving for the service. Imelda was a close friend and collaborator of the late star
A well wisher held a copy of the order of service for the ‘celebration of the life of’ Hansard
Steve Coogan greeted fellow mourners including actor Chris O’Dowd
Irish DJ and author BP Fallon is pictured at the funeral
Well wishers hugged each oher as they arrived at the cathedral
The funeral procession was led by a wicker coffin at St Patrick’s Cathedral
‘Voice of the streets. A choir of angels in one man. The rest of us blessed to stand there beside our very own and very earthed Angel Gabriel… All of us welcome in his choir, whatever shape or form.
‘….and I’m telling myself this morning that if he never existed, then he can never cease to exist. For me, he will always be everywhere I see a coin spinning into an open guitar case.
‘May you rest in the peace you gave to so many. Bono.’
Video footage showed Hansard’s final performance at the Wren’s Nest late on Tuesday night.
The Wren’s Nest, a pub in Dublin dating back to 1588, has posted an online tribute, saying: ‘We are deeply saddened by the passing of Glen Hansard.
‘It was always a privilege to welcome Glen to The Wren’s Nest over the years. He will be remembered for his incredible talent, generosity and the joy he brought to so many.
‘Our thoughts are with his family, friends and all who knew and loved him. Rest in peace, Glen. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.’
Fans have noted how Hansard’s last performance delivered lyrics such as ‘Time is the only thing that’s going to fix this now’.
Hansard featured in the 1991 movie The Commitments as guitarist Outspan Foster
A clock on the wall in the footage marks the time as being 11.15pm on Tuesday.
Responses online included the late comedian Spike Milligan’s daughter Jane Milligan saying: ‘How beautiful to have this song.
‘Once is a most profoundly great show, not only for its songs and sweet love story but for its Actor Musician element. RIP Glen.’
Another poster wrote: ‘You just never know when it all ends. So glad he was doing what he loved right up to the last moment. Thank you for everything Glen.’
Other comments included: ‘Nice that he left this song, and thankfully someone captured this on video.’
On Monday mourners queued outside the Baroque Chapel at the Irish Museum of Modern Art at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, to see the coffin of the songwriter and pay their respects.
Trad musicians played under the stained glass window in the chapel, where Hansard’s wicker coffin was laid on a table adorned with greenery and apples.
Two of his guitars were at the foot of the coffin, on which some laid their hands as they passed.
Others left flowers, cards and notes as a tribute to him.
