Oscar winning Irish singer/songwriter Glen Hansard has died in a single vehicle motorcycle crash in Dublin.
Hansard, 56, first achieved fame as Outspan Foster in the 1991 movie "The Commitments." He also led the band The Frames. He won an Oscar
The Dublin-born Hansard died shortly after being involved in what reports have described as "a single-vehicle crash at the Strawberry Beds, Lucan, just before 4.30 a.m. That is in the west of Dublin.
Hansard won an Oscar in 2008 for the song "Falling Slowly," which he wrote with Markéta Irglová. It featured in the movie "Once."
Culture Minister Patrick O'Donovan said in a statement: "Few artists made as big an impact on modern Irish storytelling as Glen Hansard.
"From his early days busking on the streets of Dublin, through The Commitments, to founding rock outfit The Frames, Hansard consistently poured passion and vulnerability into every note.
"His impact will last generations in Irish music, even as his life has ended far too soon. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam."
In the U.S. Trina Vargo, who heads the US-Ireland Alliance, said: "We were very saddened to learn of the death of Glen Hansard. He was extremely talented and cared deeply for others, as was so evident by his Christmas Eve busks on Grafton Street.
"We had the pleasure of his company at two Oscar Wilde Awards - he performed with Marketa Irglova in 2008 when they won an Oscar for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly," and we honored him in 2017 with an Oscar Wilde Award. Our condolences go out to his wife, son, and all who loved him."
