Wren’s Nest owner breaks silence on Glen Hansard’s final hours

The owner of The Wren’s Nest, the Dublin pub where Oscar-winning musician Glen Hansard spent his final hours, has broken her silence on his death, describing the loss as "too raw" to put into words.

Stella, who runs The Wren’s Nest from the home attached to the quaint country pub on Lower Road, told Extra.ie that the small community was still coming to terms with what had happened.

"It’s still too raw, we are all devastated," she said, speaking from her home, which sits atop the bar where Hansard had played an impromptu session along with a group of Wren's Nest regulars, only hours before his death.

The 56-year-old, who won an Academy Award for the song "Falling Slowly" from the film "Once," was a well-known and frequent punter at the pub whenever he was back in Dublin.

The fatal collision happened just a few hundred yards from the pub, on a stretch of road between Tinkers Hill and Rugged Lane that locals say can be poorly lit and treacherous at night.

Gardaí were called to the scene shortly before 4:30 am, but Stella said she could not say for certain what time the crash itself had actually occurred, given the gap of time between Hansard leaving the pub and the alarm being raised.

"We just don’t know exactly when it happened," Stella told Extra before adding, "you’d have to ask the Gardaí."

July 30, 2026: Flowers at the scene of Glen Hansard's fatal motorcycle crash in the Strawberry Beds area of Lucan, Dublin. (RollingNews.ie)

In a statement, The Wren’s Nest moved to shut down rumours that had circulated online suggesting there had been an after-hours lock-in at the premises on the night in question.

The pub insisted it had closed at its normal licensed trading hours and that no lock-in had taken place, adding that Hansard had left the premises after closing time shortly before he lost his life on the back roads of Lucan village.

It is understood a man driving to work in the early hours came across the wreckage, stopped to help and immediately alerted emergency services.

Hansard was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead a short time later.

It is believed there was no significant damage to his motorbike, and the exact cause of death has not yet been established.

July 29, 2026: The Wrens Nest Pub on the Strawberry Beds, the morning after Glen Hansard's body was found further up the road. (RollingNews.ie)

Tributes have continued to pour in for Hansard from across the music world, with Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Geldof, Billie Eilish, and Mike Scott among those who have paid their respects to the Ballymun-born singer.

Books of condolence have also been opened, including one at the Mansion House in Dublin, one on the Dublin City Council website, and another at the Irish Rock and Roll Museum in Temple Bar.

Gardaí have confirmed that investigations remain ongoing and have again appealed to any road users with relevant dashcam footage from the area at the time to come forward.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact Lucan Garda Station or the Garda Confidential Line.

*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.