Michael Flatley has been left heartbroken after his wife Niamh O'Brien died on Monday. The Lord of the Dance star, 68, said: "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."
A friendship that turned to romance
Flatley, 68, had known Niamh O'Brien, 52, for more than a decade before their relationship became romantic during a party he held in 2005. He told Hello! magazine in 2007: "I couldn't stop putting my arm around her all night. It felt different - much stronger than friendship. As 2006 progressed, we spent more and more time together, and I knew there was no way I could let this woman go."
The couple married just four months later at St Patrick's Church in Fermoy, Co Cork, in an elaborate ceremony attended by 250 guests. Flatley had first met Niamh on the set of Riverdance in 1993 and described her as one of his "best friends", saying there had always been chemistry between them but the "timing was never right".
Life before Niamh
Prior to finding love with Niamh, Flatley had a checkered past with women. His first 11-year marriage to Polish hairdresser artist Beata Dziaba ended after his affair with 19-year-old dancer Kelley Byrne was exposed. Following that marriage break-up, he became involved with socialite Lisa Murphy, who he proposed to during a romantic Monte Carlo getaway in 2002. Their on-off relationship ended by 2006.
Over the years, Niamh shared the stage with Flatley and performed alongside him, even ascending to leading lady in Lord of the Dance. The couple welcomed their son, Michael Saint James, a year after their wedding and settled at 18th century mansion Castle Hyde.
A changed man
Flatley later spoke about how much his life had changed in the five years since getting married a second time and becoming a father. He told the Daily Mail in 2009: "I was on the road all the time, chasing women, out drinking with my buddies and living the bachelor life. Now 6am comes and Michael is jumping on my tummy shouting at me to rebuild the track for Thomas the Tank Engine."
He often spoke adoringly about Niamh and told Piers Morgan on his Life Stories show that he was the "luckiest guy in the world". "I'm so proud to have her by my side," he said. "She knew me. Niamh knows what it's like being on the road, she knows how bad things get."
The couple would have celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary later this month. Flatley previously told RSVP Magazine in January: "On our 10th anniversary we renewed our vows in Westminster Cathedral, because at the time my son was going to Westminster Cathedral Choir School. I have something very special planned for the 20th to renew our vows. I shouldn't have just said that, my wife is going to know all about this! But I won't say what it is and I won't tell her. I'm the luckiest guy in the world."
