Actor Michael Patrick, known for his appearances in 'Game of Thrones' and the police drama 'Blue Lights,' has died at the age of 35. His wife, Naomi Sheehan, confirmed the news on Wednesday, April 8, stating that he passed away peacefully at a hospice facility in Northern Ireland.
Patrick had been battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease. According to Sheehan, he received his diagnosis on February 1, 2023, and had been under the care of medical staff at the hospice for ten days prior to his death.
“Mick passed away sadly in the Northern Ireland Hospice,” Sheehan wrote in an Instagram post. “He passed away in peace, surrounded by family and friends. There are no words to describe our profound grief.”
A career of resilience and performance
Beyond his television roles in series such as 'My Left Nut' and 'This Town,' Patrick was a respected figure in the Irish theater community. In 2024, he achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first actor with a disability to play the title role in Shakespeare’s 'Richard III' in Ireland.
Staged at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, the production was a collaboration between Patrick and playwright Oisin Kearney. The duo chose to adapt the character’s traditional physical deformity, instead reimagining Richard as a man suffering from a terminal illness. The creative choice served as a direct reflection of Patrick’s own health struggles, earning him widespread critical acclaim and standing ovations from audiences.
Sheehan remembered her husband as a “red-headed giant” who served as an inspiration to everyone around him. “It has been said repeatedly that Mick was an inspiration to all of us who had the privilege of knowing him, not just in the last few years during his illness, but every day of his life,” she stated.
Sheehan also shared a favorite quote of her husband’s, written by author Brendan Behan, to honor his outlook on life: “The most important thing in the world is to have something to eat, something to drink and someone to love.”
Patrick’s death has drawn tributes from across the industry, highlighting both his talent as a performer and his courage in navigating a life-altering diagnosis while continuing to work. He is survived by his wife and a wide circle of friends and colleagues who have mourned his passing throughout the week.
