233. Remembering Glen Hansard: Friends Share Stories After His Funeral
5 August 2026
About This Episode
Following Glen Hansard’s funeral at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, The Ireland Podcast recorded the thoughts and memories of friends, fellow musicians and others who had gathered to say goodbye.
Recorded in the immediate aftermath of the funeral, these conversations capture memories while they were still fresh - stories of friendship, music, generosity, inclusion and the countless ways Glen touched the lives of people around him.
Victoria Mary Clarke reflects on Glen’s extraordinary friendship with Shane MacGowan, his role as musical director of Shane’s funeral, and the experience of attending Glen’s own farewell.
George Murphy remembers Glen inviting him to share the male vocal of Fairytale of New York at Shane MacGowan’s funeral, despite Glen having no need to surrender any of the spotlight - a small story that speaks to Glen’s instinct to include others.
Mick Cronin recalls making music with Glen, the energy he brought whenever he joined other musicians, and personal moments including Shane MacGowan’s birthday.
Shobsy, BP Fallon and others contribute their own memories and reflections on Glen, his character and the enormous absence left by his passing.
These are not retrospective biographies or attempts to explain Glen Hansard’s life. They are immediate recollections, recorded on an extraordinary day from people who knew, worked with and cared about him.
Together with Episode 232, recorded at Glen’s public wake at IMMA the previous day, Episode 233 preserves a small glimpse of two days of remembrance whose individual experiences were replicated countless times across Ireland and around the world.
The intention was simple: to document whatever could respectfully and unobtrusively be captured, and preserve some of those memories for posterity.
Recorded: Dublin
Occasion: Following the funeral of Glen Hansard at St Patrick’s Cathedral
Date: Tuesday 4 August 2026
Interviews conducted by Fender Jackson.
The Ireland Podcast is an independent long-form interview series documenting Ireland through its people, memories, ideas and experiences.
Victoria Mary Clarke, BP Fallon, George Murphy, Mick Cronin, Shobsy and others
Friends, musicians and members of Glen Hansard’s wider creative community share memories recorded in Dublin immediately following his funeral, creating an intimate contemporary record of the man they had gathered to remember.