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Michael Patrick, Actor-Playwright of Game of Thrones and Blue Lights, Dies at 35

He turned a public fight with motor neurone disease into award-winning theatre that doubled as frank advocacy.

Overview

  • His wife, Naomi Sheehan, said on Wednesday that Patrick died Tuesday at Northern Ireland Hospice after 10 days in care.
  • He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in February 2023, a progressive illness that weakens muscles used for movement, speech and breathing.
  • He adapted Richard III to reflect life with MND, performed in a wheelchair, and won the Judges' Award at The Stage Awards in January 2025.
  • He joined a clinical drug trial that briefly improved movement, then declined a tracheostomy after being told discharge could take 6–12 months due to staffing, as friends raised more than £110,000 for specialist care.
  • Lyric Theatre Belfast and the MND Association praised his talent and advocacy, and reports say a Belfast funeral is planned.