[Edaily Reporter Lee Youn-jung ] Irish singer-songwriter and actor Glen Hansard, who gained worldwide fame for the film "Once," has passed away in a traffic accident. He was 56.

According to the BBC and other sources on the 29th (local time), Hansard’s agency, ATC Management, announced, “Glenn Hansard passed away in a traffic accident that occurred in Dublin early this morning.” The agency added, “As his family is in deep mourning, we ask that you respect their privacy.”

Local police are seeking witnesses regarding a single-vehicle motorcycle accident that occurred early this morning in the Lucan area of western Dublin.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1970, Hansard began his musical career as a street performer before forming the rock band Frames. He later gained recognition as an actor through his role in the film *Commitments*.

He gained worldwide fame following the success of the musical film *Once* (2007), in which he starred alongside Czech singer Markéta Irglová. The song “Falling Slowly,” released by the duo as the project group “The Swell Season,” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 80th Academy Awards.

From the 2010s onward, he focused on his solo career, and his 2015 album *Didn’t He Ramble* was nominated for Best Folk Album at the Grammy Awards.

Irish Prime Minister Mihal Martin paid tribute to the late artist on social media, saying, “He was an outstanding musician and actor who left a lasting mark on Ireland’s cultural and artistic scene for many years.” He is survived by his wife, Maire Saricza, and their three-year-old son.