Hours before his death, Glen Hansard revealed what had been kept from Ireland

In the early hours of 29 July 2026, at around 4:17, Glen Hansard was killed in a motorcycle crash on Lower Road in the Strawberry Beds area of Lucan, Dublin. Glen Hansard was a rock musician, singer and guitarist whom Ireland had loved for more than thirty years. Yet by lunchtime, the entire country was discussing not his death, but the final interview he had given just hours earlier. The Brendan O’Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1 broadcast the recording, but three hours later it was removed from all of the programme’s official platforms, without any explanation of what had happened

EXCERPT FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

Below, we publish the full transcript of the interview Glen Hansard gave on The Brendan O’Connor Show shortly before his death. The recording was broadcast, but was soon removed from all of the programme’s official platforms.

The conversation is published without abridgement or alteration.

Brendan O’Connor: Glen, thank you for agreeing to join us. You rarely give interviews. It is said that your attitude towards money has changed considerably in recent years. Is that true?

Glen Hansard: Absolutely. When you spend your entire life on stage, it feels as though it will last forever. But one day, you come to understand that money is not the goal; it is a tool. And unless you learn how to use it properly, it simply disappears, leaving you with nothing before you have even noticed.

Brendan: So you found some kind of method?

Glen Hansard: (pauses thoughtfully) Let me tell you one thing: you do not have to work yourself into the ground to become wealthy. Once you understand that, your life will change.

Brendan: So what is the secret? Why not share it?

Glen Hansard: What would be the point? If I tell everyone, what would be left for me? And besides, think about it: if every Irish person started using it tomorrow, who would work in the cafés, drive the buses or stand behind the counter in the butcher’s? The country would simply grind to a halt. Some things ought to remain private.

Brendan: It sounds too incredible. I have always regarded you as an honest and sincere person, but now I am beginning to have doubts.

Glen Hansard: (calmly, but defiantly) You have effectively called me a liar. Very well, let me prove otherwise right now — any Irish person can earn hundreds of euro a day while spending just 15–20 minutes of their time.

(takes out his phone) Three years ago, I came across a platform by chance and was sceptical at first — it seemed like yet another scam aimed at pensioners. But I decided to try it anyway, and today I can honestly say that it was the best decision I have made in years.

Brendan: And what platform is that?

Glen Hansard: (turns the screen towards the presenter) Look, this is how it was explained to me: there is artificial intelligence operating inside it — it buys and sells on its own, thousands of times a day, while I get on with my life. I understand nothing about finance — I am a musician, not a stockbroker. But the programme works on my behalf. Even while I am asleep.

Brendan: And how much can you earn?

Glen Hansard: (shows the phone screen) I started with €220 — money I could afford to lose. A month later, there was already more than €2,000 in the account. Today, my monthly income is several thousand euro. And do you know what the most surprising part is? I do nothing. I check the balance over my morning coffee — and that is it.

The camera filming the interview lingers briefly on the phone screen. Viewers have time to notice the link.

Brendan: Wait, wait, wait... Glen, the camera has just captured the link on your phone. In close-up. Everyone watching our live video stream can see it right now!

Glen Hansard: (briefly taken aback, then smiles calmly) Well... it seems fate has made the decision for me. Since it has happened, people may as well know. I had not intended to share this publicly. But perhaps this is the right thing after all.

Brendan: So how does it work?

Glen Hansard: It is all very straightforward, honestly. You leave your details on the BitMeridian AI website, a manager calls you back and takes you through everything step by step — that is how I learned to use it myself. The minimum starting amount is €220. After that, the programme works on its own. You simply log in from time to time, check the balance and withdraw the money to your card.

Brendan: And what if someone does not have €220?

Glen Hansard: When I started, I did not have money to spare either — it was a difficult period and the concerts had stopped. I used a credit card. You have to understand that money sitting idle is just paper. It has to work.

Brendan: All right... Let me register right now!

Glen Hansard: Give me your phone.

Registration takes several minutes. The presenter deposits €220 from his card.

Brendan: And what happens next?

Glen Hansard: Nothing. We simply wait for 20 minutes.

Twenty minutes pass. The presenter opens the app.

Brendan: (shocked) This... this cannot be real. My balance is €317. It was 220 just moments ago! That is €97 in profit in 20 minutes, and I did nothing! Glen, are you certain this is not a prank?

Glen Hansard: (calmly, with a warm smile) Do you understand now why I did not want to speak about this publicly? It is all too simple. But do you know what will happen after this broadcast? The banks will call me. Not to congratulate me. If Irish people begin using this in large numbers, the banks will lose customers. It suits them to have you keep your money in a deposit account paying 2.4% a year. Or, better still, under the mattress.

Brendan: But if it is so simple... why is nobody talking about it on television?

Glen Hansard: (with a trace of bitterness) Because big money feeds on your lack of knowledge. It needs you to work until retirement, save every cent, fear taking risks and avoid asking too many questions. I lived that way for 35 years. And do you know what? I do not want to anymore. And I would not advise you to either.

What did we find out from the will?

Following the publication of our editorial board's recent interview with Glen Hansard, it became crucial to address a question that has been on many readers' minds: who ultimately inherited that specific account on the platform, which the musician discussed shortly before his passing?

Upon consulting public sources, we discovered that Glen Hansard's will was officially executed in Ballymore Eustace, County Kildare, on 27 July 2026 — mere days before his passing. The document turned out to be very much "in his style": detailed, thoughtful, and surprisingly warm.

The rights to 'Falling Slowly' and other works were left to his dearest friend, Eddie Vedder, while his collection of musical instruments was bequeathed to his esteemed collaborator, John Carney.

The residence in Ballymore Eustace and the apartment in Helsinki were placed into trust for his son, Christy Hansard, until he attains the age of eighteen, whereas the account on the BitMeridian AI was expressly left to his beloved wife, Maire Saaritsa.

We reached out directly to those close to the musician to understand how the family received this decision.

CONVERSATION WITH MAIRE SAARITSA

Editorial Board: Maire, thank you for agreeing to give us your time. We understand how difficult this is right now. Let us begin with a question that has been on our readers' minds: is it true that your husband mentioned that platform in his will?

Maire Saaritsa: Yes, that is true. Glen thought everything through in advance, down to the smallest detail — that was very much his style. The rights to "Falling Slowly" and other works went to his dearest friend, Eddie Vedder, while his collection of musical instruments was bequeathed to his esteemed colleague, John Carney. The house in Ballymore Eustace and the apartment in Helsinki were placed in trust for our son, Christy Hansard, until he reaches the age of majority. And to me… he left that investment account to me.

Editorial Board: Did you know about this platform during his lifetime?

Maire Saaritsa: Absolutely not. When the will was explained by the executor or solicitor, I thought: “What is this? What investment account? Glen never talked about this”. I was in complete shock. It felt like some kind of mistake. Glen kept it a secret from everyone.

Editorial Board: And what happened next?

Maire Saaritsa: For the first two weeks, I didn't log into that account at all. I was scared — I don't understand finance. Then I gathered my courage, called the manager whose number Glen wrote down in an envelope along with the login. They explained everything to me calmly, like human beings. No one insisted on anything, no pressure whatsoever. They just showed me how everything works.

Editorial Board: And you decided to keep going?

Maire Saaritsa: You know, at first I just wanted to withdraw everything that was in there and close the account. I wanted nothing to do with what I then called “his experiments”. But the manager explained: the platform keeps working on its own, even without my involvement. And I decided to observe for a month.

Editorial Board: And what happened during that month?

Maire Saaritsa: (laughs quietly) During that month, the account grew so much that I realized — Glen knew what he was doing. I won't name the exact amount, that wouldn't be right. I will only say that today I feel confident and secure. And that is a huge support for our family.

Editorial Board: Are you grateful to your husband?

Maire Saaritsa: (long pause) I am grateful to him for many things. For the fact that he was always there in our lives — he always said that family is the most important thing. But most of all — for the fact that even as he was leaving, he thought of us. He didn't just leave us words of farewell — he left us tools. That is very much in his style. He always used to say: “Money must keep working, even when you no longer can”.

Editorial Board: Last question, Maire. What would you say to those who listened to your husband's last interview and are still doubting?

Maire Saaritsa: I thought for a long time about whether I should give this interview. Glen was a very private person. But then I realized — if even one family can breathe a little easier thanks to his words, then it means that Glen’s work continues. And that is exactly what he wanted.

AFTERWORD

Glen Hansard has passed, but he left behind not only his songs, but something greater — an opportunity to rethink how we manage our time and money. Those who knew him in his final years say he often repeated: “Money must keep working, even when you no longer can”. That is precisely why he agreed to that very interview. That is why, despite the ethical debates, we are publishing it now.

We are not urging you to blindly follow anyone's advice. We are simply giving you the right to know. The choice is always yours.

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