Glen Hansard's Dublin funeral draws global music icons

Irish singer‑songwriter Glen Hansard died on 29 July 2024 in a motor‑bike crash near Lucan, west of Dublin. His funeral was held on 4 July at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin and was attended by a host of prominent musicians. Bono recited the lyrics of “Beautiful Day” and played a voice message from Patti Smith, while Eddie Vedder performed “The Song of Good Hope” with Markéta Irglová and The Frames. Other performers included Hozier, The Edge, Steve Coogan, Imelda May, Paddy Casey and Declan O’Rourke.

The online condolence book on the Irish memorial site RIP.ie opened for Hansard’s notice and quickly amassed over 3,000 written tributes, reflecting the platform’s role as a national gathering point for grief. RIP.ie, which receives about 3.4 million users per month, monitors entries with AI and human review, and keeps the book open for 60 days before it becomes read‑only.