Funeral of Glen Hansard to take place in Dublin

The funeral of Oscar-winning singer and songwriter Glen Hansard took place at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. Hansard passed away last Wednesday at the age of 56 after a road crash, just hours after participating in a traditional music session at The Wren's Nest pub. Hundreds of people gathered outside the church, with large screens set up at St Patrick's Park to accommodate the crowd.

Notable attendees included U2 frontman Bono, bandmate The Edge, and Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder. Music played a central role in the service, with performances by Hansard's brother Gary, poet Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich, Damien Dempsey, and Lisa O'Neill. Glen Hansard's younger brother Richard paid tribute to his sibling, highlighting his unique ability to give his family his full attention and serve as a father figure.

He spoke of how Hansard made him see the world as a magical place and pushed them to be better. The service concluded with a poignant message from U2's Bono, who performed a spoken word rendition of U2's song "Beautiful Day" and played a voice message from US singer Patti Smith. The congregation was moved by the outpouring of love and admiration for the late musician.