Oscar-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, best known for co-writing and performing the Academy Award-winning song “Falling Slowly” from the 2007 film Once, has died at the age of 56 following a motorcycle crash in Dublin. His management confirmed he passed away early Wednesday after a single-vehicle road accident.

Hansard began his musical journey as a teenage busker on the streets of Dublin before founding the acclaimed rock band The Frames in 1990. He later achieved international recognition through Once, starring alongside Markéta Irglová, with whom he formed the folk duo The Swell Season. Their music helped turn the low-budget film into a global success and inspired an award-winning Broadway musical.

Tributes poured in from fans and public figures across Ireland, including Prime Minister Micheál Martin, who praised Hansard’s lasting contribution to Irish music and culture. Police said the musician died after a single-vehicle motorcycle collision in west Dublin during the early hours of Wednesday.

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