One of Glen Hansard’s last gigs was the inauguration of the Dzogchen Beara Temple on July 15th.

BY JACKIE KEOGH AND KIERAN O’MAHONY

Tributes have been paid to the Oscar-winning folk singer who was a regular visitor to West Cork, playing both solo and with The Frames at venues including De Barra’s in Clonakilty, Connolly’s of Leap, Skibbereen Arts Festival and Drimoleague Singing Festival.

The nation has shown its love and appreciation for The Commitments star Glen (56) since his tragic death in a motorbike accident just over a week ago.

West Cork men’s choir Cór Chúil Aodha sang at his funeral in St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin on Tuesday.

Recalling his recent trip to Beara Malcolm MacClancy said: ‘At the end of a morning of ceremonies led by a highly esteemed Buddhist teacher from Tibet, I invited Glen to join his dear friend Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich in a musical offering, for His Holiness Sakya Gongma Rinpoche and the 300 guests in attendance.

‘I met Glen in the early 90s, when he was chieftain of a motley tribe of teenage buskers who regularly turned Grafton Street into a carnival.’

Earlier this year The Frames played a sold-out show in De Barra’s as part of a nationwide tour of small independent music venues.

De Barra’s Folk Club described Glen as a ‘a true champion of art, of people, of Irish culture, of social justice, of song.

‘We have lost our champion. He lifted us all up and we stood on his shoulders, emboldened and closer to the sun.’

Sam McNicholl of Connolly’s of Leap described Glen as one of his greatest champions.

‘He had this rare, almost magical ability to make you feel completely seen. He was a powerful man, and he chose to use that power for good,’ he said.

‘He was a huge presence in so many lives and he made everyone around him feel like they mattered. Ireland has lost of one its greats.’

Paul O’Brien of the Drimoleague Singing Festival recalled the time Glen came to pay St Matthew’s Church in 2018, despite being under the weather with a bad flu.

‘He couldn’t have been more gracious as he struggled through the soundcheck,’ recalled Paul. ‘The concert was magic as he conjured up an energy he didn’t have to entertain and engage us.’

Glen was in good spirits when he made the lengthy trip to Beara three weeks ago to perform at the temple inauguration event.

Recalling his long-term friendship with the musician and activist, Malcolm MacClancy told how Glen formed a creative alliance with Interference – ‘a band led by Fergus O’Farrell, with whom I wrote lyrics’.

He continued: ‘Interference offered Glen his first stage performances as support act, and the relationship continued as his star ascended.

‘In 2010 he returned the favour, giving Interference — who appeared with him in the film Once — a support slot on the hallowed stage of Radio City in New York.

‘After we lost Fergus to the effects of muscular dystrophy in 2016, Glen often took his place in Interference, as singer and band leader.

‘Then, as always, Glen’s performances were raw, straight from the heart, all-or-nothing. Although he was a star, he never eclipsed other band members, he shone a light on them and made space on stage for everyone to shine.

‘My friendship with Glen centred on music, lyrics and the possibilities they offered, and that was the heart of the man.  For the Temple inauguration he told me he was very happy to do anything that we asked, that it felt special, and that he felt a strong need at that time to be around spiritual people.

‘I asked him to play something that expressed the heart of Ireland, and Glen and Breanndán delivered this perfectly with the hauntingly beautiful song Róisín Dubh, followed by a lively set of polkas.

‘It was a perfectly joyful close to such an historic occasion. I will always be grateful for Glen’s performance and for that last time spent with him — and so happy also that, in that moment, in giving so generously as he always did, he found what he was looking for too.’