Dublin's Emotional Farewell: Bono, Eddie Vedder Lead Heartfelt Tributes to Glen Hansard

On Tuesday, August 4, a heartfelt funeral service was held for beloved Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, celebrating a lifetime dedicated to music. Hansard, who passed away on July 29 at the age of 56 following a motorcycle accident, was remembered by a gathering of family, friends, and fellow musicians.

The ceremony saw numerous luminaries from the music world paying tribute to Hansard's enduring legacy. Among those present were U2's Bono and The Edge, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, Hozier, Imelda May, Jake Clemons of the E Street Band, and Liam Ó Maonlaí of Hothouse Flowers, all of whom joined mourners in honoring Hansard's profound influence.

Bono delivered an emotional statement, reflecting on Hansard's extraordinary ability to forge connections, making everyone feel like a close friend. "People on the green outside, best friends. People tuning in, best friends. Even people who haven’t met him, best friends," Bono remarked. He added, "Everyone who met him, they just remember the day they met him." The U2 frontman also shared a poignant voicemail from Patti Smith, which contained a lullaby recorded for Hansard’s loved ones. Accompanied by The Edge, Bono offered a spoken tribute inspired by U2’s "Beautiful Day," with reworked lyrics honoring Hansard.

Later, Eddie Vedder took the stage to perform Hansard’s "The Song of Good Hope." This fitting tribute from a longtime friend and collaborator featured Hansard’s Once collaborator Markéta Irglová, marking one of several musical highlights that underscored Hansard's deep and sentimental influence across generations of artists.

Hansard’s brother, Richie Hansard, shared an emotional eulogy, recalling Glen’s perspective on grief. He recounted Glen saying, "when you lose someone, you don’t really lose them. If you have the strength and the will, you will gain them back and you inherit the best parts of them." Richie added, "And we have. We have inherited all the magical, colorful words, hugs, talks, madness, sadness, insightful, manic beauty that a brother, an uncle, a husband and a father could ever give. Thank you, Glen. Thank you, brother."

The service concluded with a moving rendition of Bob Dylan’s "Forever Young," performed by Bono, Vedder, The Edge, Liam Ó Maonlaí, and a choir of musicians assembled around the altar, offering a final farewell.

Glen Hansard’s career began with his rise to prominence as the frontman of The Frames. He later achieved worldwide acclaim alongside Markéta Irglová as The Swell Season. The duo famously won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008 for "Falling Slowly," featured in the film "Once," which subsequently inspired the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. Throughout his distinguished career, Hansard also released five solo studio albums and was renowned for his annual Christmas Eve busking performances in Dublin, which raised funds for people experiencing homelessness.