Actor Michael Patrick Has Died

Michael Patrick has died.

The Irish actor passed away on Tuesday at NI Hospice following a three-year battle with motor neuron disease (MND), according to BBC News.

His wife, Naomi, shared the news on social media. She wrote, “Mick was an inspiration to everyone who was privileged enough to come into contact with him, not just in the past few years during his illness but in every day of his life. He lived a life as full as any human can live. Joy, abundance of spirit, infectious laughter. A titan of a ginger haired man.”

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Born Michael Campbell, he is an actor and writer from Belfast. Patrick studied science at the University of Cambridge, and while there, he performed with the famous Cambridge Footlights Comedy Troupe. After university, he trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London and was also a member of the National Youth Theatre in the UK.

Also, while at Cambridge, he met his writing partner, Oisín Kearney, who was studying politics.  The duo ran the university’s Irish Society, and with Kearney as director and Patrick as the actor, they made several productions, including Frank McGuinness’ Someone to Watch Over Me, per The Irish Times.

Patrick made his on-screen acting debut in 2016 in an episode of Game of Thrones, and also appeared in Bravery Under Fire, The Keeper, Bernard Dunne’s Mythical Heroes, Death and Nightingales, Soft Border Patrol, Krypton, My Left Nut, Blasts from the Past, Blue Lights, and This Town.

In 2023, Patrick was diagnosed with MND, which causes muscle weakness that gets worse over a few months or years, according to the NHS. There is no cure, and it’s usually life-shortening, but treatment can help manage the symptoms. Patrick’s diagnosis did not slow him down. He performed the leading role in Shakespeare’s Richard III in 2024 at Lyric Theatre Belfast, which won him the judges’ prize at the Stage Awards. The performance earned him much praise, and when he accepted the Judges’ award, he received a standing ovation from the crowd. That’s not all. Last year, Patrick performed the solo show My Right Foot, which chronicles MND.  

“These islands have lost a great artist, and the sky is brighter tonight with his star,” Lyric Theatre Belfast executive producer Jimmy Fay said in a tribute to Patrick. “Mick showed great strength and dignity in light of his diagnosis MND. He remained resilient and focused, creating dynamic work throughout his struggles. We at the Lyric pay tribute to his remarkable talent and send our deepest condolences to his wife Naomi, his mother and sisters, and all his friends, family, and colleagues at this sad time.”