Actor Michael Campbell, also known as Michael Patrick, has died aged 35 following a diagnosis of motor neurone disease.<\/p>\n
Campbell, from Belfast, was diagnosed with the illness in February 2023.<\/p>\n
He died on Tuesday at Northern Ireland Hospice, where he had been receiving care after being admitted 10 days earlier.<\/p>\n
His wife, Naomi, announced his death in a social media post, stating he had passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends.<\/p>\n
She described her husband as having lived “a life as full as any human can live” and said his family was “broken-hearted”.<\/p>\n
Campbell was widely recognised for his work in theatre, including an acclaimed performance as Richard III in a wheelchair.<\/p>\n
His adaptation of The Tragedy of Richard III earned him the Judges’ Award at the Stage Awards in January 2025.<\/p>\n
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences<\/a><\/p>\n Listen: Michael Patrick talks to Oliver Callan in 2025<\/p>\n He also received the Overcoming Adversity Award at the Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards in 2025, recognising his continued work and advocacy following his diagnosis.<\/p>\n As a writer and actor, Campbell created several acclaimed productions with regular co-collaborator Ois\u00edn Kearney, including My Left Nut, My Right Foot, The Border Game and The Alternative.<\/p>\n Campbell continued writing and performing after being diagnosed, using his work to raise awareness of MND.<\/p>\n In previous interviews, he said writing allowed him to focus away from his illness and remain positive and creative.<\/p>\n Several members of the extended Irish theatre community paid tribute via social media, including Abbey Theatre Executive Director Mark O’Brien.<\/p>\n