Glen Hansard, the Oscar-winning songwriter and frontman for Irish rock group The Frames, has died in a motorbike crash in Dublin. He was 56.
The crash occurred on Lower Road in Lucan, west of Dublin, and was reported to emergency services shortly before 4:30 a.m. local time. Police are appealing for witnesses to the single-vehicle incident.
Hansard, born in Dublin in 1970, began his music career busking on the city's streets. He also gained recognition for his acting role as Outspan Foster in the 1991 film "The Commitments."
His most significant musical achievement came in 2007 when he won an Academy Award for best original song for "Falling Slowly" from the low-budget musical film "Once." The film, which he starred in with fellow musician Markéta Irglová, garnered critical acclaim and introduced his distinctive songwriting to a global audience.