Niamh Flatley (née O'Brien) died in Dublin on Monday, October 5. She was 52 years old.RIP.ie
The funeral for Niamh Flatley (née O'Brien), the wife of Irish dance superstar Michael Flatley, will be held in Dublin on Saturday, October 10.
Niamh, originally from Co Meath, passed away on October 5, "peacefully, surrounded by her loving family in the tender care of the team at the Beacon Hospital," a notice on RIP.ie says.
The notice goes on to say that Niamh will be "hugely missed by her heartbroken husband Michael and son Michael St. James," as well as her parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, in-laws, extended family, and her "many wonderful friends from school, college and the dancing world."
"May her gentle soul rest in peace," the notice says.
She will lie in repose at Ryan's Funeral Home in Ashbourne, Co. Meath on Friday afternoon, October 9, followed by a funeral mass at the Church of St. Thérèse in Mount Merrion, Dublin, on Saturday morning, October 10. A private family burial will follow the funeral mass.
House private, the RIP.ie notice says.
Niamh Flatley's funeral mass will be livestreamed online here.
Michael and Niamh Flatley
Michael and Niamh, both hugely talented Irish dancers, first met in 1993 on the set of the original production of "Riverdance," in which Michael was the star and Niamh was a dancer in the troupe.
The two became and remained friends (and colleagues) through more of Michael's smash-hit Irish dance productions.
It was 2006 before their romance blossomed, but it blossomed quickly. They got married in Co Cork in October 2006 after less than a year of being romantically involved.
The couple welcomed their only child, Michael St. James, the following year.
"I have lost my beautiful wife"
Michael, the Chicago native credited with pushing Irish dancing into the mainstream with "Riverdance," announced his wife's passing on social media on Monday.
"My heart is broken. I have lost my beautiful wife, Niamh, and my best friend," he wrote.
"My gorgeous bride of twenty years has gone to the Lord in Heaven.
"She was the most loving mother, wife and person, and our lives will never be the same without her.
"Thank you for all the love and kindness you have shown us. Please keep Niamh, Michael St James, and our family in your thoughts and prayers."
The social media posts have drawn tens of thousands of comments across different platforms, most offering their condolences.
While Flatley did not confirm the cause of his wife's passing in his posts, the Irish Times reports that the 52-year-old had "a long-standing lung condition which deteriorated over the last 12 months." Tragically, she was "due to fly to the United States to receive a lung transplant but died before it could be carried out."
Irish dance world pays tribute
As Niamh Flatley's funeral details have been confirmed, the Irish dance world is paying tribute to one of their own.
On Wednesday, An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha (CLRG, the oldest and largest competitive Irish dance organization in the world and the one in which Michael and Niamh rose through the ranks), shared a message penned by An tUachtarán Mary Duffy Pask.
"Niamh was an extraordinary ambassador and champion of Irish dance whose contribution to our art form leaves an enduring legacy," the tribute said in part.
"Riverdance" said that Niamh had been a part of its story since the very beginning at Eurovision.
"Her contribution to Riverdance and the Irish dance community will never be forgotten," the Irish dance show said.
"Lord of the Dance," another one of Michael's Irish dance productions in which Niamh featured, hailed her as "Our Lady of the Dance."
"Niamh was an inspiration to all of us - a remarkable dancer, leading lady, a very special person and a fundamental part of our LOTD story," the show said while sharing clips of Niamh performing. "Our hearts are truly broken."