Riverdance dancer Niamh O’Brien dies aged 52 after lung illness
Michael Flatley has said he is heartbroken after his wife, Irish dancer Niamh O’Brien, died aged 52 following an illness affecting her lungs. Her death came days before the couple were due to mark their 20th wedding anniversary, and leaves their son, Michael Saint James, without his mother.
O’Brien died peacefully at Dublin’s Beacon Hospital on Monday after a period of illness. She had performed in several of Flatley’s dance productions, including Lord of the Dance, and the couple married in 2006. Their families thanked hospital staff and supporters and asked for privacy; funeral arrangements are to be announced.
- Niamh O’Brien has died aged 52 after an illness affecting her lungs.
- Her husband, Michael Flatley, says he is heartbroken.
- The couple were days from their 20th wedding anniversary.
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Niamh O'Brien was an Irish dancer who performed in several major dance productions, including Lord of the Dance. She was married to Michael Flatley, an American-born choreographer and dancer who created Lord of the Dance and played a central role in Riverdance, one of the most successful Irish dance shows ever produced.
Riverdance emerged in the 1990s and transformed Irish step dancing from a traditional folk art into a global entertainment phenomenon. Both Riverdance and subsequent productions like Lord of the Dance toured internationally, introducing Irish dancing to audiences worldwide and making it a significant cultural export.
O'Brien and Flatley were married in 2006 and have a son together. The couple were approaching their 20th wedding anniversary.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “My heart is broken, says Riverdance star Michael Flatley as his beloved wife Niamh O’Brien dies peacefully after illness aged 52 – just days before the couple were set to celebrate a landmark anniversary”.