Michael Patrick, the Belfast actor also known as Michael Campbell, has died at NI Hospice after living with motor neurone disease. His death on Tuesday, April 7th, at the age of 35 closes a career marked by a widely praised performance in Richard III and a body of work shaped by resilience, wit, and forceful stage presence. Michael Patrick had been diagnosed with MND in February 2023, and his family said they are heartbroken.
Family and theatre figures pay tribute to Michael Patrick
Naomi, his wife, said Michael Patrick “was an inspiration to everyone who was privileged enough to come into contact with him, ” adding that he “lived a life as full as any human can live. ” She described him as “a titan of a ginger haired man, ” with “joy, abundance of spirit, infectious laughter. ”
Lyric Theatre Belfast, where Michael Patrick played the leading role in Shakespeare’s Richard III, said it was devastated to learn of his death. Jimmy Fay, the venue’s executive producer, said “these islands have lost a great artist, ” and added that Campbell, who was from Belfast, had been part of the Lyric family for many years. Fay said Michael Patrick showed “great strength and dignity” after his diagnosis and remained focused on creating work.
A breakthrough role that changed the conversation
Michael Patrick’s performance as the wheelchair-using king in The Tragedy of Richard III drew major recognition in January 2025, when he received the Judges’ award at The Stage Awards in London. The ceremony, held at the Royal Opera House, ended with a standing ovation for the actor and his work creating and starring in the adaptation.
That role carried added significance because it was the first time an actor with a disability had played Richard III on the island of Ireland. For Michael Patrick, the production became one of the defining moments of his career, placing his craft and personal experience at the center of a performance that audiences and theatre leaders treated as a landmark.
From Belfast to a wider stage
Before that acclaim, Michael Patrick was already known as a gifted performer and creative partner. He worked closely with Oisín Kearney, whom he met at Cambridge University, and the pair created several productions together, including Someone to Watch Over Me. Their collaboration also included My Left Nut, a solo play rooted in personal loss and the strain of facing illness without his father, who died of MND when Michael Patrick was a child.
In 2025, he performed My Right Foot at Dublin Theatre Festival, a 70-minute solo show that traced his experience of motor-neuron disease with humor and honesty. Michael Patrick had also made a difficult medical decision in February, saying he would not have a tracheotomy so he could spend more time out of hospital during what his neurologist said would likely be the final year of his life.
What comes next for Michael Patrick’s legacy
Michael Patrick’s funeral is due to take place at 11am on Monday, April 13th, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Carryduff, Co Down. As tributes continue, the focus is likely to remain on the scale of his artistic reach and the particular courage he brought to work shaped by illness, grief, and memory.
For audiences, colleagues, and family, Michael Patrick leaves behind a record of performances that carried emotional weight well beyond the stage. His name, Michael Patrick, now stands at the center of a story of loss, recognition, and a final run of work that drew praise for its honesty and power.
