Michael Patrick, the Irish performer and screenwriter known for his role in “Game of Thrones” and the critically acclaimed BBC production “My Left Nut,” passed away at 35 following a three-year fight with motor neuron disease, his spouse confirmed Wednesday.
The actor died on Tuesday night, April 7, at Northern Ireland Hospice in Belfast, with loved ones by his side. His spouse, Naomi Sheehan, made the announcement the next day via Instagram with a photograph from their nuptials.
The actor learned of his diagnosis on Feb. 1, 2023, and wed Sheehan the following September. During the subsequent three years, he candidly posted updates regarding his illness on social platforms, preserving his distinctive wit despite his deteriorating health. In February 2026, he disclosed his neurologist had estimated he had roughly one year remaining.
The Belfast native, born Michael Campbell, pursued science studies at the University of Cambridge before enrolling at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London for acting instruction. During his time at Cambridge, he joined the renowned Cambridge Footlights comedy ensemble and participated in the National Youth Theatre. His appearance as a Wildling Rioter came in Season 6 of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” in 2016, though Northern Irish viewers recognized him primarily for his stage performances and television roles in programs including “This Town,” a production from “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight, along with “Blue Lights,” “The Spectacular,” and “Blasts From the Past.”
The actor gained special recognition for creating “My Left Nut” with his long-term collaborator Oisín Kearney. The BBC Three comedy-drama production, drawn from Patrick’s own adolescent experience of finding a swollen testicle while grieving his father’s death from MND, secured four Royal Television Society honors: Best Drama at the 2020 Royal Television Society (RTS) Northern Ireland Awards, and Best Drama, Best Writers, and Best Actor at the 2021 RTS Yorkshire Awards. The production additionally claimed the Summerhall Lustrum Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2018, where it debuted as a one-man performance. The pair worked together on multiple theatrical productions and the BBC Radio 4 sci-fi audio series “Bitter Pill,” which earned a Celtic Media Festival Award nomination.
Within Northern Ireland’s theatrical community, Patrick garnered attention for his interpretation of Richard III at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre in 2024. Together with Kearney, they reimagined Shakespeare’s work so that Richard learns of a terminal illness diagnosis at the beginning, reflecting Patrick’s personal journey. He executed the role from a wheelchair—marking the first occasion an actor with a disability had portrayed Shakespeare’s Richard III on the island of Ireland. In January 2025, this performance secured him the Judges’ Award at The Stage Awards in London, where he was honored with a standing ovation at the Royal Opera House.
Kearney verified his colleague’s passing in a statement to USA Today. He characterized Patrick as “an actor of epic proportions” who “was able to make an audience laugh or cry in an instant.” He noted that Patrick confronted his diagnosis with bravery and humility, showing audiences how to do better when it comes to disabilities.
After learning of his condition, Patrick transformed his illness into fresh artistic endeavors. With Kearney, he developed and created the short film-to-series concept “So You’re Going to Die” and the solo performance “My Right Foot.” He staged the latter at Dublin Theatre Festival in 2025—a 70-minute one-person production that reviewers hailed as a masterclass in humor, honesty, and resilience. He additionally received the Overcoming Adversity Award at the Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards in 2025.
Motor neuron disease encompasses a group of conditions that destroy motor neurons, the nerve cells that control skeletal muscle activity such as walking, breathing, speaking and swallowing, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The illness can result in disability or death. No cure presently exists, though new treatments remain under development.
The Cleveland Clinic characterizes motor neuron disease as a group of neurological disorders that gradually destroy motor neurons over time. As the illness advances, weakened motor neurons cause muscle stiffness and overactive reflexes, making voluntary movements difficult and slow. Individuals may ultimately lose the ability to walk and control other movements.
Patrick’s particular form of motor neuron disease was never publicly disclosed. The category includes several conditions: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progressive bulbar palsy, primary lateral sclerosis, progressive muscular atrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, Kennedy’s disease, and post-polio syndrome. Patrick’s father had previously died from MND when Michael was a child, a loss that shaped much of his creative work.
In her Instagram tribute, Sheehan described her husband as “a titan of a ginger-haired man” with “joy, abundance of spirit, infectious laughter.” She shared a quote from Irish writer Brendan Behan that Patrick loved: “The most important things to do in the world are to get something to eat, something to drink and somebody to love you.”
Sheehan added, “So, don’t overthink it. Eat. Drink. Love.”
Patrick’s last social media post appeared on Feb. 6, when he addressed his prognosis and disclosed he had chosen against a tracheostomy that could have prolonged his life. He clarified that he would have faced 6 to 12 months in hospital due to staffing shortages before being able to return home. Throughout his illness, he continued working on creative projects and advocating for greater disability awareness.
In August 2025, Patrick recorded a video thanking supporters who donated money to help pay for equipment, including a wheelchair, bed, and van to accommodate his limited mobility.
The Lyric Theatre Belfast, where Patrick performed Richard III, stated in a release that it was devastated by his death. Executive producer Jimmy Fay called Patrick’s Richard III “one of the greatest performances ever on the Lyric stage.” Belfast’s MAC Theatre also paid tribute, calling Patrick “an incredible actor, writer, creator and friend to all of those lucky enough to know him” who “lit up stages with his poignant storytelling.”
Patrick’s funeral will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 13, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Carryduff, County Down.