The Irish musician and actor Glen Hansard, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly" from the 2007 film Once, has died at the age of 56 following a motorcycle crash in Dublin. His management confirmed he died in the early hours of the morning after a single-vehicle road traffic accident, saying his family was "deeply shocked and heartbroken" and asking for privacy, while thanking the emergency services who attended the scene. Local police have appealed for witnesses to the crash, according to the BBC.

Born and raised in Dublin, Hansard began busking on the city's streets before forming the rock band The Frames in 1990, and later paired with his Once co-star Markéta Irglová in the duo The Swell Season; Once was subsequently adapted into a Broadway musical that won eight Tony Awards in 2012. His acting credits included a small role in The Commitments in 1991, and he continued releasing solo material, including the Grammy-nominated album Didn't He Ramble. Ireland's Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, paid tribute, calling him "a talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland's cultural landscape over many years."