Michael Patrick, the Irish performer and screenwriter known for his role in “Game of Thrones” and the critically acclaimed BBC series “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 located in Belfast, with loved ones by his side. His spouse, Naomi Sheehan, made the announcement a day later on Instagram with a picture from their nuptials.
The diagnosis came to Patrick on Feb. 1, 2023, and he wed Sheehan the following September. Throughout the next three years, he regularly posted updates regarding his illness on social media, keeping his signature wit intact despite deteriorating health. In February 2026, he disclosed that his neurologist had estimated he had roughly one year remaining.
The performer from Belfast, born Michael Campbell, pursued science studies at the University of Cambridge prior to receiving acting instruction at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London. During his time at Cambridge, he was involved with the esteemed Cambridge Footlights comedy troupe and participated in the National Youth Theatre. His appearance as a Wildling Rioter in Season 6 of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” came in 2016, though audiences in Northern Ireland recognized him primarily for his stage productions and television roles in programs like “This Town,” a series 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” alongside his long-time collaborator Oisín Kearney. The BBC Three comedy-drama program, drawn from Patrick’s own adolescent experience of finding a swollen testicle while grieving his father’s death from MND, received four Royal Television Society awards: 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 secured the Summerhall Lustrum Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2018, where it debuted as a one-man show. The pair worked together on multiple plays and the BBC Radio 4 sci-fi audio drama “Bitter Pill,” which received a Celtic Media Festival Award nomination.
Within Northern Ireland’s theatrical community, Patrick gained attention for his interpretation of Richard III at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre in 2024. He and Kearney reworked Shakespeare’s play to have Richard learn of a terminal illness diagnosis at the start, reflecting Patrick’s personal journey. His performance took place from a wheelchair—marking the first occasion an actor with a disability 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 acknowledged 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 approached 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. He and Kearney developed and produced the short film-to-series pitch “So You’re Going to Die” and the one-man show “My Right Foot.” He staged the latter at Dublin Theatre Festival in 2025—a 70-minute solo show that critics called 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. Sufferers may ultimately lose the ability to walk and control other movements.
The exact form of motor neuron disease affecting Patrick was never publicly revealed. The classification encompasses 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 earlier succumbed to MND when Michael was a child, a tragedy that influenced much of his creative work.
In her Instagram tribute, Sheehan portrayed her husband as “a titan of a ginger-haired man” with “joy, abundance of spirit, infectious laughter.” She included 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 message appeared on Feb. 6, when he addressed his prognosis and disclosed he had chosen against a tracheostomy that might have prolonged his life. He clarified that he would have endured 6 to 12 months in hospital due to staffing shortages before being able to return home. During his illness, he continued working on creative projects and advocating for greater disability awareness.
In August 2025, Patrick recorded a video expressing gratitude to supporters who contributed funds 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 statement 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.
