Glen Hansard, star of The Commitments, dies aged 56 after Dublin motorcycle crash

Oscar-winning musician and actor Glen Hansard has died aged 56 following a motorcycle crash in Dublin.

Hansard was killed in a single-vehicle collision on the R109 Lower Road near Strawberry Beds in Lucan during the early hours of Wednesday morning. Emergency services attended the incident, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Gardaí have launched an investigation and are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage from anyone who was travelling through the area at the time.

While best known as the frontman of Irish rock band The Frames and for his Academy Award-winning work on Once, Hansard first came to international attention playing guitarist Outspan Foster in Alan Parker's 1991 film The Commitments. The film, based on Roddy Doyle's novel, remains one of Ireland's most celebrated musical dramas and helped launch the careers of several members of the cast.

Hansard later won the Academy Award for Best Original Song alongside Markéta Irglová for "Falling Slowly" from the film Once, cementing his reputation as one of Ireland's most respected singer-songwriters.

Tributes are expected from across the worlds of music and film as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash continue.

Everyone at Visordown extends their sincere condolences to Glen Hansard's family, friends and fans at this difficult time.

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