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It doesn't come as a surprise that a lot of WWE Superstars who thrive on their fighting spirit are of Irish origin. Instead of looking at them through a stereotypical lens of having red hair and engaging in scuffles over petty issues, WWE, to their credit, has managed to present these Superstars respectfully.
Gone are the days when a Superstar of Irish origin would come out wearing a green dress, pretend to be drunk, and then eventually put up a fight. Today, they fight for a reason and show a kind of aggression that is distinctly Irish.
WWE has had quite a rich history of Superstars who are of Irish origin or descent. One of them who would not make it into this list, but is the most important Irish person in all of WWE is the chairman, Vince McMahon, himself. While everything about him screams American, his grandfather, Roderick, was Irish.
Superstars like Becky Lynch, Sheamus, Finn Balor, Finlay, and more have achieved the kind of success which solidifies Ireland's immense contribution to the world of pro-wrestling.
So without any further delays, let's dive in and take a look at the WWE Superstars who have made this list of greatest Irish WWE Superstars of all time.
#5 Velvet McIntyre (WWE Debut in 1982)
Before the rise of the 'Irish Lass Kicker' in WWE, there was Velvet McIntyre, an Irish-Canadian Superstar who paved the way for women's wrestling to be a respectful art form in North America. Her in-ring skills were superior to some male superstars who were main-eventing shows. While she was mostly known for her contribution to the women's tag division, she had quite an illustrious singles career as well.
Born in 1962, she started wrestling at the age of 14, and within a matter of 6 years, she began wrestling for bigger territories like NWA, eventually heading to the WWE in 1982.
Her technical proficiency in the ring, coupled with her high-flying abilities, she managed to revolutionize women's wrestling in more than one way. While she held the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship for a staggering 537 days along with her partner, Princess Victoria, her biggest accomplishment was defeating The Fabulous Moolah for the Women's Championship.
Apart from this, she also competed in the first-ever women's Survivor Series match in 1987 and had a high-profile singles encounter at Wrestlemania 2 against Fabulous Moolah. While she quit wrestling in 1998 owing to motherhood, her contribution to women's wrestling is highly essential, albeit underappreciated.
#4 Finn Balor (WWE Debut in 2014)
The reigning WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor made his wrestling debut in 2000, at the age of 18, and since then has gone on to carve quite a successful career across the globe. Wrestling for NWA Ireland in his formative years, his WWE career has turned out to be immensely fruitful as he's consistently been near the top of the card, no matter which brand he's wrestling for.
Born in Bray, Ireland, he grew up a fan of in-ring technicians like The British Bulldog, Mr.Perfect, and Rick Rude. This influence is evident in his wrestling style, which comprises of traditional grappling along with some high-flying moves.
Honing his skills in New Japan Pro-Wrestling for over a decade, his WWE debut and eventual success have gone on to make him one of the most sought after WWE Superstars of current times. His Universal Championship win and Intercontinental Championship reigns on WWE RAW have made him a force to be reckoned with.
Considering he's 39 years old, his best years may not last for much longer, but he would surely look to make the best out of whatever's left in his arsenal.
#3 Finlay (WWE Debut in 2005)
Born David Finlay Jr in 1958 in Northern Ireland, there's no other WWE Superstar who embodied the Irish fighting spirit as Finlay did. While his character can be termed as a little stereotypical, it never felt as if it was a parody.
His wrestling style was a little stiffer than a typical WWE Superstar, as he never did anything flashy for the sake of showing off. He didn't have any elaborate entrance, any catchphrase, a chiseled body, nor any funky hairstyle. He was as old-school as anyone in this business. Having been wrestling since the 1970s, this comes as no surprise.
Accompanied to the ring by Hornswoggle, Finlay was never in the main event scene, but he made the most of what he was given. A one-time United States Champion, he hung up his wrestling boots in 2012.
Since then, he has worked as a backstage producer for WWE and has played an invaluable part in the emergence of the women's revolution in the company. Many in WWE have praised him for being a champion of increased screentime for women's wrestling on television.
#2 Sheamus (WWE Debut in 2009)
Born in Dublin, Sheamus had one of the most spectacular debut years in WWE history, as he captured the WWE Championship by defeating John Cena just two months after making his Raw debut in 2009. All set to be the next big heel in the company, he went on to have great feuds with Cena, Triple H, and Daniel Bryan, capturing the world championship four times in the process.
However, his momentum derailed due to some bad booking decisions, including the forgettable and dated League of Nations faction, of which he was the leader. Even though this time yielded yet another run with the world championship, it was a purely transitional reign.
Teaming up with Cesaro in 2016 reversed his fortunes. The two would go on to win the tag-team titles a total of 5 times, having memorable feuds with The New Day and Seth Rollins-Dean Ambrose in the process.
Having yet again found his way into the WWE Championship picture, a match and a probable win against the current champion Drew Mcintyre seems quite imminent.
#1 Becky Lynch (WWE Debut in 2013)
An easy pick for the number one position on the list, Rebecca Quinn, better known as Becky Lynch in WWE, has one of those underdog stories that are the stuff of dreams. Born in 1987 in the town of Limerick in Ireland, she started wrestling at the age of 15 in smaller promotions of the island country. However, life-threatening injuries in 2005 kept her out of action for six years until her WWE signing in 2013.
Quickly rising up the cards, she wrestled some fantastic bouts with the likes of Bayley, Charlotte, and Sasha Banks, the four collectively coming to be known as "The Four Horsewomen." Making her main roster debut in 2015, she showed flashes of her brilliance until SummerSlam 2018, a night that marked the beginning of a run that has defined her career and women's wrestling in general.
Taking up the moniker of "The Man", she went on a run that culminated in the first Wrestlemania headed by women in 2019. The visual of Becky with a bloodied nose on the 12th November episode of WWE RAW in 2018 has deservingly found its way into wrestling lore, along with her monumental Wrestlemania main event victory.
Currently on hiatus from WWE owing to motherhood, her return is being highly anticipated by fans.
