Musicians from across the world gathered at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin last week to honor Glen Hansard, the Oscar-winning singer and guitarist who died at 56 in an early morning motorcycle crash.
U2's Bono and The Edge, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, Hozier, Imelda May, Jake Clemons of the E Street Band, and Liam Ó Maonlaí of Hothouse Flowers were among those who attended, according to a report by Billboard.
Bono delivered remarks and performed a spoken word version of U2's Beautiful Day, reworked in Hansard's honor, with The Edge accompanying him. On Wednesday, the band shared the rewritten lyrics alongside a painting of Hansard by Irish artist Colin Davidson.
The new lines read: "See those eyes flashing landing light blue/ Seven towers holding up the sky for you/ Arrivals and departures, this is what we do." They continued: "You write your life 'til the story becomes true/ Ginger cake smile, a movie star too." And later: "If the street be your stage how come there's thousands in the queue/ McDaid's feels like a stadium but there's only me and you/ You left a hangover from hell, of this there is no doubt/ But as you wake up in heaven, all the angels will shout."
Bono also spoke about Hansard's singular ability to connect with people. He described how "people on the green outside, best friends. People tuning in, best friends. Even people who haven't met him, best friends. Everyone who met him, they just remember the day they met him."
Eddie Vedder, a close friend of Hansard's, performed Hansard's song The Song of Good Hope alongside Markéta Irglová, Hansard's former bandmate in The Swell Season. Hansard's brother Richie delivered an emotional eulogy. The service closed with a cover of Bob Dylan's Forever Young, featuring Bono, Vedder, The Edge, Ó Maonlaí, and a choir of musicians gathered around the altar.
A day after the funeral, Irglová posted a tribute on Facebook. She wrote: "Glen was a big spirit on a big mission. I always believed he had a gift from God and was imbued with power from the earth. It is never easy to carry as much as he did. Helping him carry some of it along the way has been the honor of my life. I thank him and God for the trust and know we shall meet again. So long, my friend."
The post was paired with a photo of the pair and set to their 2023 song The Answer is Yes. A voicemail tone poem lullaby from punk icon Patti Smith was also shared as part of the tribute.
