Stars from the worlds of music, film, and politics gathered in Dublin today to bid farewell to Oscar-winning musician Glen Hansard, whose funeral took place at St Patrick’s Cathedral.
Hundreds of fans, unable to enter the cathedral, watched the service on large screens erected outside.
Among those paying their respects were musicians Hozier, Declan O’Rourke, Jerry Fish, and Imelda May, alongside U2’s Bono and traditional music icon Finbar Furey.
Actors Steve Coogan and Chris O’Dowd arrived to pay their respects as well as former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.
Hansard, the revered frontman of Irish band The Frames, tragically died last week at the age of 56 in a motorcycle crash on the outskirts of Dublin.
His death occurred just hours after he had participated in a traditional music session at The Wren’s Nest pub.
Tributes had poured in from across the globe following the news, and thousands of mourners had previously attended a public wake for the musician at the Baroque Chapel at the Irish Museum of Modern Art on Monday.
Hansard 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.
He began an annual Christmas Eve charity busk outside the Gaiety Theatre 16 years ago, drawing members of the public to see famous Irish musicians perform in aid of the homeless in the city.
His funeral service began at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin at 1.30pm.
Several people had queued outside for hours to attend the service.
Among those who attended was Stefania Domesi from Italy.
She said: “I was here and then I heard about the funeral and the wake and I thought it was good to come.
“I really was astonished by the person that he was so I thought it was nice to come here.
“He was not just a musician and artist but he was a great person and he showed it in all his life.”
Theresa Martin travelled from Co Waterford to attend the funeral and was in the queue to enter the church.
She said: “It was just the feeling that he brought to the music. You could see it in his eyes and his face.
“It was true stories as well. It was unique.”
A number of traffic diversions are in place close to the cathedral to accommodate the funeral service.
