Michael Flatley announces the death of his 'beautiful wife' Niamh aged 52 after 20 years together

Michael Flatley has announced the death of his wife Niamh aged 52.The Lord Of The Dance star shared a heartbreaking statement on his Instagram page on Monday evening as he asked fans to keep his family in their prayers.Niamh passed away peacefully at the Beacon Hospital in south Dublin, 'following a period of illness', a representative said. Michael, 68, shared a series of photographs of Niamh including one of the couple on their wedding day and another with their son, Michael Saint James.His statement read: '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.' Michael Flatley has announced the death of his wife Niamh aged 52 in a statement on Instagram on Monday evening His statement read: '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 Michael, 68, shared a series of photographs of Niamh including one of the couple on their wedding day and another with their son, Michael Saint James (pictured with their son)According to the Irish Independent, Niamh had been unwell for several years and was only hours away from being flown to the US for specialist treatment.Niamh had been battling ill health, with Michael reportedly spending 'every waking hour,' caring for his wife.A statement from Michael's representative added: '[The Flatley and O'Brien families] express their sincere gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff at Beacon Hospital who cared for Niamh over the past few weeks, and to everyone who has offered their kindness and support to the family.' Friends say Michael has been 'left distraught, devastated and utterly grief stricken'.Fans of the Riverdance star offered their condolences in the comments section of his post, including one which read: 'So sorry for your loss Michael. Sending thoughts and prayers to you all'.Others read: 'So sorry to read this. Thoughts and prayers'; 'So sad'; 'Sorry for your loss and condolences to all of your family, may she RIP'; 'Heartbreaking. She was gorgeous inside and out. All our love to your son. Shine bright beautiful girl. Heaven has gained an angel'; 'Deepest condolences. Very sorry for your loss Michael, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers'. Despite being unwell, Niamh continued her work as part of Michael's touring productions, working alongside costume designers, service providers and dancers. Niamh, who was also a professional dancer, began performing at the age of three and appeared in Riverdance, Lord Of The Dance, Feet Of Flames and the Celtic Tiger.The couple met on the set of Riverdance and she featured in the famous line-up during the 1994 Eurovision interval. They didn't strike up a romance until 2006 but married later the same year in Fermoy, County Cork, before welcoming their son Michael Saint James in 2007.In an interview on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2013, Michael again described his wife as his 'best friend'. Niamh, who was also a professional dancer, began performing at the age of three and appeared in Riverdance, Lord Of The Dance, Feet Of Flames and the Celtic Tiger Fans of the Riverdance star offered their condolences in the comments section of his post, including one which read: 'So sorry for your loss Michael. Sending thoughts and prayers to you all' The couple met on the set of Riverdance and she featured in the famous line-up during the 1994 Eurovision interval (pictured together in 2011)He said: 'She is highly intelligent. She is my best friend. She is extraordinarily beautiful, inside and out. I am proud to be her husband. I am blessed to have her. She is a loyal true blue.'Michael has also spoken of how Niamh was his rock during his battle with cancer. Speaking to the Irish Independent last year, he said: 'I was haemorrhaging and convulsing on a hospital bed and I kept passing out. They couldn't give me the painkillers necessary. 'There were some wonderful nurses that were trying to help me, but they were invisible to me because of the pain, but I will never forget opening my eyes one of the times that I came to, and my wife was there. 'And my wife was smiling. Can you imagine the courage from my wife, to put on a smile in that position? The courage that took?'Niamh and Michael were last seen in public together in August, celebrating Michael Smurfit's 90th birthday in Monaco.