Riverdance star Michael Flatley has said that his ‘heart is broken’ after announcing the death of his wife, Niamh O’Brien.
The 68-year-old choreographer, who is best known for creating the Riverdance Irish dancing troupe, paid tribute to his ‘beautiful wife’ and ‘best friend’ in an emotional social media post on Monday.
The couple, who performed together in Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance, had been married for 20 years and shared a son, Michael St James, born in 2007.
Flatley wrote on Instagram: ‘My heart is broken. I have lost my beautiful wife, Niamh, and my best friend.
‘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.’
Alongside the tribute, Flatley also shared a series of photos including one of his wife dancing, a wedding photo and a photo with their son, Michael.
Flatley rose to fame after Riverdance’s famous performance at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest before launching Lord Of The Dance the following year.
He went on to create productions including Feet Of Flames and Celtic Tiger, before making his film debut as director and star of 2018 thriller Blackbird.