Billie Eilish and family pay touching tribute to ‘old friend’ Glen Hansard

The Oscar-winning songwriter and Frames frontman died in a motorcycle accident in Dublin on Wednesday at the age of 56, prompting an outpouring of tributes from across the music world.

Among those honoring Hansard were Grammy-winning siblings Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, along with their mother, actress and activist Maggie Baird.

Sharing a photo of himself with Hansard, FINNEAS described him as a lifelong inspiration.

"Glen Hansard. North Star songwriter, most wonderful person," he wrote.

The producer revealed the first song he ever performed publicly was Hansard and Markéta Irglová’s Oscar-winning ballad "Falling Slowly" when he was just 11 years old.

"His songs made me want to write songs and they also made me cry," he continued.

Remembering meeting Hansard in Dublin in 2019, FINNEAS said the Irish musician welcomed the family ‘like old friends even though we were just his fans,’ before adding: "Today I am a heartbroken fan. Hope he knew how much he meant to so many."

Their mother, Maggie Baird, also shared an emotional tribute alongside a series of photographs of Hansard.

"Sometimes you get to meet your heroes and they are even more amazing than your dreams," she wrote.

Baird recalled first meeting Hansard at Electric Picnic in 2019, describing the experience as "such a gift."

She also revealed just how influential Hansard’s music had been on her family, saying the film Once had left a lasting impression on them all.

"I know FINNEAS and Billie would not be who they are without his music," she wrote.

She explained that FINNEAS’ first public performance was "Falling Slowly", while Billie learned every song from "Once" and the family later attended one of Hansard’s talks and performances at the Grammy Museum.

"He was a thrilling human to be in the presence of," Baird added.

"I’m so grateful for what he brought to the world."

Billie Eilish later reshared her mother’s tribute on Instagram, adding a simple but heartfelt message of her own.

"Devastated… wouldn’t be who I am today without Glen."

Hansard’s death has prompted tributes from across Ireland and around the world, with Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Nick Cave, U2, Dermot Kennedy, Rachel Zegler, Chris O’Dowd and Lin-Manuel Miranda among those remembering the beloved musician.

The Dublin native rose to international acclaim through The Frames and the film "Once", winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008 for "Falling Slowly", which he co-wrote with Markéta Irglová. He is survived by his wife, Máire Saaritsa, and their son, Christy.

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.