Niamh O'Brien, Dancer and Wife of Michael Flatley, Dies at 52
The former lead performer in "Lord of the Dance" passed away after an illness, according to a representative.
Niamh O'Brien, a former lead dancer in Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance" and the wife of the "Riverdance" star, has died at the age of 52. Her death was announced on social media on Monday.
Flatley described O'Brien, with whom he shared 20 years of marriage, as "the most loving mother, wife and person" whose absence would leave their lives irrevocably changed. He also noted her passing to "the Lord in Heaven."
O'Brien was a celebrated Irish dancer, known for her role as Saoirse in "Lord of the Dance." The couple had a son, Michael St. James, born in 2007.
According to a representative for Flatley, O'Brien died peacefully at Dublin's Beacon Hospital following an illness. The representative conveyed the devastation of both the Flatley and O'Brien families and requested privacy during their time of grief. Gratitude was also expressed to the medical staff at Beacon Hospital for their care of O'Brien, and to those who offered support to the family.