Irish dancer Niamh O'Brien dies aged 52

Irish dancer Niamh O'Brien, the wife of Riverdance star Michael Flatley, has died at the age of 52, as reported by The Journal, RTE, The Irish Times, and lmfm.ie. Flatley announced her death in a statement on social media, describing his wife of 20 years as his best friend. [1][2][4][6]

O'Brien was a native of County Meath, according to The Journal and lmfm.ie. The Journal reported that she began Irish dancing at three years old and went on to compete professionally. [1][6]

RTE reported that O'Brien was a lead performer in Lord of the Dance. As FTMQ News reported earlier, she passed away peacefully at Beacon Hospital in Dublin following an illness. [2][10]

Flatley is an American and Irish former professional dancer and choreographer who created Lord of the Dance in 1996 [7, 9]. In his statement, Flatley paid tribute to O'Brien as the most loving mother, wife, and person, asking people to keep their family, including their son Michael St James, in their thoughts and prayers, as reported by The Journal and RTE. [1][2][7][9]