Glen Hansard

[Debra_Whinger]

I don't expect much to come out of it for a while. His fans are quite frankly so terrifyingly fanatic that no-one dares to come out with their own face to accuse St. Hansard of the homeless. That said, I noticed an FB reel the other day of Glen performing with Olivia Vedder (hate to say it but she was awful, can't really see why he wanted to mentor her if it was supposedly because of exceptional talent) and about half the comments were people questioning his motives.

I guess people are quiet also because they are thinking of his widow and child. Unless she comes out saying she knew what he was like and didn't like it or something really damning came out, I expect it to take months or years for someone to step forward. Then again, maybe she knew and didn't care. The one thing I don't like is seeing so many people (not here of course) now defending very large age differences (this includes relationships where the woman is a teen) saying it is nobody's business and "love is love".I mean, suddenly anything goes...?

 

[Mrs Fluff]

The thing is until victims come forward instead of staying in the shadows it’s all here say. I’m not saying it didnt happen btw I’m just saying it’s all friend of a friend stuff and survivors posting anonymously. Lots of “ it will all come out soon”. talk . So until it does everybody is repeating themselves.

I think that IG post was in the hope people would come forward. Problem is in a country this small it's so hard

 

[DaisyChain90]

I'm sorry to ask what may be a tasteless question here but what is he actually accused of??? I genuinely haven't seen any actual recollections of anybody who directly experienced these alleged interactions / burner phone transactions. Lots of "a friend of a friend" stories or "it's well known in the industry" but no actual accounts. The number 1 person that is being suggested is Marketa Irglova who as I already mentioned maintained a strong relationship with him even after his death. And to suggest him of grooming her, I believe is insulting to both her and her family members who continued to keep him in high esteem.

So what is he actually accused of? Is it propositioning people under the 18? Is it lewd suggestions? Is it hands on attacking???

Genuinely I haven't seen anything online that actually condemns the man of a crime. A man in his thirties having a relationship with a 19 year old - in poor taste (maybe yes), illegal - no. A man in his 50s marrying a woman in her 30s - raise an eyebrow (maybe yes), illegal - no.

If he wrote a song about Damian Rice and dated girls over 18 he didn't do anything legally wrong. I'm ready to believe women - I just haven't heard any direct accounts from them. Until then, as far as I'm concerned - Glen is innocent.

 

[Carapop]

I think what’s important to keep in mind is that there is a stark and remarkable difference between what is creepy and what is criminal.

 

[Sideboard Bob]

As a total outsider, I’m so sorry but I thought he was dodgy as soon as I saw this on his wiki page.

“Hansard and Markéta Irglová met in 2001, when she was 13 and he was 32, at a music festival organised by her parents in the Czech Republic.[40] Irglová's father, a fan of Hansard's band the Frames, later invited Hansard to stay at the family home for three months to write songs.[40] Hansard and Irglová began a romantic relationship in April 2007,[40] during the promotional tour for Once.[41] In August 2007, Hansard said of the relationship: "I think we fell in love a couple of years ago, but nothing happened until recently"[40] and "I kept telling myself she's just a kid."[42] The relationship ended after about two years.[43]”

 

[Carapop]

As a total outsider, I’m so sorry but I thought he was dodgy as soon as I saw this on his wiki page.

“Hansard and Markéta Irglová met in 2001, when she was 13 and he was 32, at a music festival organised by her parents in the Czech Republic.[40] Irglová's father, a fan of Hansard's band the Frames, later invited Hansard to stay at the family home for three months to write songs.[40] Hansard and Irglová began a romantic relationship in April 2007,[40] during the promotional tour for Once.[41] In August 2007, Hansard said of the relationship: "I think we fell in love a couple of years ago, but nothing happened until recently"[40] and "I kept telling myself she's just a kid."[42] The relationship ended after about two years.[43]”

Ah but Marketa doesn’t mind that he was attracted to her when she was thirteen and he was thirty so therefore it is fine.

 

[DaisyChain90]

Ah but Marketa doesn’t mind that he was attracted to her when she was thirteen and he was thirty so therefore it is fine.

So you believe Marketa is an idiot then?

 

[Carapop]

So you believe Marketa is an idiot then?

That is not at all what I was suggesting.

 

[dothprotesttoomuch]

Pretty damning interview.

I also read (but can't find it right now) that Cillian Murphy dropped out because of the age gap in the film. But Hansard - who recommended Marketa - and was even older than Cillian, was fine with it. Sure it was "art imitating life" after all. The only reason Hansard was "uncomfortable" with kissing in the film is because it would have exposed him for what he was.

 

[dothprotesttoomuch]

So you believe Marketa is an idiot then?

Poster is clearly being sarcastic that this is what defenders of Hansard are saying to justify the "relationship". However Marketa was groomed and many victims of grooming never realise that's what happened to them, hence why Marketa still defends him - but others are too idiotic to see this.

 

[Debra_Whinger]

Someone on Facebook comments today under a news article about the crash investigation:

He gave a lift home to one of the other musicians in the pub. My next-door neighbour said that the guy that got the lift is a friend of a man she works with.

Giving a lift to someone for several hours though...? How far did he drive? Did he have a spare helmet and would people just casually be up for a ride on a motor bike...? And since it's a musician, surely they had their instrument with them too?

I dunno... Sounds like a friend covering up for him. Conveniently when it's a pleasant story it's not hearsay that the person given a ride was your neighbour's co-worker's friend. When it's something unpleasant, your ex-girlfriend or sister is an unreliable and too distant source. Got it.

 

[Shutterbug99]

Someone on Facebook comments today under a news article about the crash investigation:



Giving a lift to someone for several hours though...? How far did he drive? Did he have a spare helmet and would people just casually be up for a ride on a motor bike...? And since it's a musician, surely they had their instrument with them too?

I dunno... Sounds like a friend covering up for him. Conveniently when it's a pleasant story it's not hearsay that the person given a ride was your neighbour's co-worker's friend. When it's something unpleasant, your ex-girlfriend or sister is an unreliable and too distant source. Got it.

I thought the story was that he was at a hotel? I guess he could have done both. Or neither. Anyone can say anything online and we may never know the actual truth of those 'missing' hours.

 

[Thegoodlife]

I'm sorry to ask what may be a tasteless question here but what is he actually accused of??? I genuinely haven't seen any actual recollections of anybody who directly experienced these alleged interactions / burner phone transactions. Lots of "a friend of a friend" stories or "it's well known in the industry" but no actual accounts. The number 1 person that is being suggested is Marketa Irglova who as I already mentioned maintained a strong relationship with him even after his death. And to suggest him of grooming her, I believe is insulting to both her and her family members who continued to keep him in high esteem.

So what is he actually accused of? Is it propositioning people under the 18? Is it lewd suggestions? Is it hands on attacking???

Genuinely I haven't seen anything online that actually condemns the man of a crime. A man in his thirties having a relationship with a 19 year old - in poor taste (maybe yes), illegal - no. A man in his 50s marrying a woman in her 30s - raise an eyebrow (maybe yes), illegal - no.

If he wrote a song about Damian Rice and dated girls over 18 he didn't do anything legally wrong. I'm ready to believe women - I just haven't heard any direct accounts from them. Until then, as far as I'm concerned - Glen is innocent.

I’ve seen so many people say this about Marketa, without realising the knock on affect it could have. Other victims may think, oh well if M is ok with it then I should be too.

Pretend for a moment we have no idea who Marketa is, and you heard Glen tell the same story about his friend’s daughter who he fell in love with when she was a child. Would you feel any different? The fact that they stayed close should mean nothing.

 

[Warpaint]

Has anyone seen the The Swell Season documentary? It was really odd. It gives an insight into their relationship and why it fell apart. Think it was filmed just after Once went mega.

 

[Old Harold]

Marketa also got fame, an Oscar and lots of money from the connection so she's bound to see it differently than some poor "nobody" teenage girl who got used and discarded along the way.

 

[DaisyChain90]

I’ve seen so many people say this about Marketa, without realising the knock on affect it could have. Other victims may think, oh well if M is ok with it then I should be too.

Pretend for a moment we have no idea who Marketa is, and you heard Glen tell the same story about his friend’s daughter who he fell in love with when she was a child. Would you feel any different? The fact that they stayed close should mean nothing.

I understand what you are saying but we are talking about Glen and Marketa here. Not anyone else because from what I can see nobody has come forward with their own experience. Let's say for a moment that Marketa was groomed and she still doesn't see the abuse that she suffered. Are we also supposed to think that Glen groomed her current husband and her father both of whom very publicly continued to support him? Until actual evidence comes forward I don't understand how people can be so absolutely resolute that he is evil. And I don't mean someone coming forward with video tapes of him behaving inappropriately - I literally mean anybody that was directly involved with him speaking out as opposed to all this "friend of a friend" business.

 

[dothprotesttoomuch]

Do you not realise whole families can be manipulated by groomers? That's their MO. They are as charming as they are manipulative. And my understanding is that quite a lot of stories/evidence did come out at the time they happened from those directly involved, but the threatened legal action by Hansard made them go away. This information is all out there, but you clearly want it handed to you on silver platter.

I can see why people who tried to speak out years ago but were silenced by these threats may not want to come forward now; they might feel it's not worth the hassle that will come from those who worship Saint Hansard and won't hear a bad word about him. Imagine the trial by media they would suffer and for what? Nothing will happen to a dead man, but their lives - which presumably have moved on in the interim years - will be turned upside down. Others, like Marketa, might still hero-worship him and not see anything wrong with his behaviour.

There are way too many stories, all along a similar vein, for there to be no smoke without fire. It's not just one or two stories either.

ETA: his own words about Marketa are also the proof you are looking for, but you seem to keep finding ways to ignore it. They got together when she was 17 and he said himself he fell in love with her years before that! When she was a literal child! What more proof do you need?! He said they waited until she was 17 and I do actually believe this, because I think men like Hansard are cunning and will skirt the lines of legality. But dont think he wasn't getting his jollies in places abroad where the age of consent was younger, while he waited/groomed Marketa AND her family.

 

[Slysally63*]

Do you not realise whole families can be manipulated by groomers? That's their MO. They are as charming as they are manipulative. And my understanding is that quite a lot of stories/evidence did come out at the time they happened from those directly involved, but the threatened legal action by Hansard made them go away. This information is all out there, but you clearly want it handed to you on silver platter.

I can see why people who tried to speak out years ago but were silenced by these threats may not want to come forward now; they might feel it's not worth the hassle that will come from those who worship Saint Hansard and won't hear a bad word about him. Imagine the trial by media they would suffer and for what? Nothing will happen to a dead man, but their lives - which presumably have moved on in the interim years - will be turned upside down. Others, like Marketa, might still hero-worship him and not see anything wrong with his behaviour.

There are way too many stories, all along a similar vein, for there to be no smoke without fire. It's not just one or two stories either.

ETA: his own words about Marketa are also the proof you are looking for, but you seem to keep finding ways to ignore it. They got together when she was 17 and he said himself he fell in love with her years before that! When she was a literal child! What more proof do you need?! He said they waited until she was 17 and I do actually believe this, because I think men like Hansard are cunning and will skirt the lines of legality. But dont think he wasn't getting his jollies in places abroad where the age of consent was younger, while he waited/groomed Marketa AND her family.

Apparently the age of consent Marketas homeland is 15.

 

[dothprotesttoomuch]

I guess we will probably never really know when his physical relationship with Marketa began. But I would put money on it being - in the words of Philip Schofield - "unwise but not illegal". These type of men know what they are doing, it's how they manage to get away with it for so long/fool everyone.

So they may have gotten together when she was 15, if that was legal where she's from, but said 17 to keep those "back home" happy. Either way, he'll have made sure it was just legal enough.

 

[DaisyChain90]

Do you not realise whole families can be manipulated by groomers? That's their MO. They are as charming as they are manipulative. And my understanding is that quite a lot of stories/evidence did come out at the time they happened from those directly involved, but the threatened legal action by Hansard made them go away. This information is all out there, but you clearly want it handed to you on silver platter.

I can see why people who tried to speak out years ago but were silenced by these threats may not want to come forward now; they might feel it's not worth the hassle that will come from those who worship Saint Hansard and won't hear a bad word about him. Imagine the trial by media they would suffer and for what? Nothing will happen to a dead man, but their lives - which presumably have moved on in the interim years - will be turned upside down. Others, like Marketa, might still hero-worship him and not see anything wrong with his behaviour.

There are way too many stories, all along a similar vein, for there to be no smoke without fire. It's not just one or two stories either.

ETA: his own words about Marketa are also the proof you are looking for, but you seem to keep finding ways to ignore it. They got together when she was 17 and he said himself he fell in love with her years before that! When she was a literal child! What more proof do you need?! He said they waited until she was 17 and I do actually believe this, because I think men like Hansard are cunning and will skirt the lines of legality. But dont think he wasn't getting his jollies in places abroad where the age of consent was younger, while he waited/groomed Marketa AND her family.

You are aware people can have different opinions? I'm not saying Glen didn't do anything wrong. I'm saying there is no clear proof to condemn him. I have nothing further to add here.