Lyra Valkyria, born Aoife Marie Cusack, is an Irish professional wrestler from Dublin who has made history in WWE as the inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Champion. This article traces her career from Dublin’s independent circuit to her current run on Monday Night Raw, drawing on verified sources including the WWE Superstar profile, Wikipedia, and the Irish Times.
Last checked: 2026-08-02
Ring Name: Lyra Valkyria · Real Name: Aoife Cusack (also known as Marie Cusack) · Born: 23 October 1996 · Nationality: Irish · WWE Brand: Raw · Championship: Inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Champion
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-08-02.
Sources reviewed: official WWE Superstar profile, Wikipedia (English, Polish, Portuguese), Fox Sports WWE bio, the Irish Times, Sportskeeda, Famous Birthdays, Pro Wrestling Fandom, TheSmackDownHotel, WrestlingData.
We did not conduct an on-site visit, interview the subject, or contact WWE directly. Height and weight data are inconsistent across sources and are not included as verified facts.
Lyra Valkyria at a glance
- Aoife Marie Cusack, an Irish professional wrestler from Dublin, Ireland (Wikipedia).
- Born 23 October 1996 in Dublin, Ireland (Wikipedia).
- Signed with WWE in 2020; currently assigned to Monday Night Raw (WWE.com).
- Inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion; former NXT Women’s Champion and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion (WWE.com).
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ring Name | Lyra Valkyria |
| Real Name | Aoife Cusack (also known as Marie Cusack) |
| Born | 23 October 1996 |
| Nationality | Irish |
| WWE Brand | Raw |
| Championship | Inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Champion |
| Former Title | NXT Women’s Champion |
| Engagement | Yes, to LJ Cleary |
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Ring name origin | Norse mythology Valkyrie |
| Previous ring names | Valkyrie Cain, Lady Valkyrie, Aoife Valkyrie |
| Debut | 2 May 2015 (independent circuit) |
| WWE debut | 13 February 2020 (NXT UK) |
| Signature style | Technical and striking-based; aerial offense and precise kicks |
| Major titles | NXT Women’s Championship, WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship, WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship |
| Notable victory | Defeated Becky Lynch at NXT Halloween Havoc 2023 for NXT Women’s title |
| Engagement | To Irish wrestler LJ Cleary (14 October 2023) |
Is Lyra Valkyria Irish?
Yes, Lyra Valkyria is Irish. She was born Aoife Marie Cusack on 23 October 1996 in Dublin, Ireland, according to her Wikipedia entry. Her nationality is consistently listed as Irish across all official WWE promotional materials, and she often represents her country on the global stage. The Irish Times described her as “the wrestler from Clarehall taking the WWE world by storm,” confirming her specific Dublin suburb roots.
What this means: Lyra Valkyria’s Irish identity is a core part of her WWE persona, aligning with her Celtic-warrior-inspired character.
Who is Lyra Valkyria engaged to?
Lyra Valkyria is engaged to Irish professional wrestler LJ Cleary. The couple announced their engagement on 14 September 2024, after roughly ten years together, as reported by Portuguese Wikipedia. LJ Cleary, whose real name is Liam Cleary, has competed on the Irish independent scene in promotions such as Over The Top Wrestling (OTT). Both are Dublin natives.
The implication: Her personal life remains relatively private, but the engagement is a well-documented milestone.
Where is Lyra Valkyria from in Dublin?
Lyra Valkyria is from Clarehall, a suburb in north Dublin. The Irish Times profile specifically names Clarehall as her home area. While the exact street address is not publicly disclosed, this localisation has been repeated in Irish media and is considered reliable. The broader Dublin origin is confirmed by multiple tier-2 sources.
The bottom line: Fans can place her Dublin roots specifically in the northside suburb of Clarehall.
Lyra Valkyria Career Highlights and Championships
Lyra Valkyria’s rise from the independent circuit to WWE main-event status is marked by several key milestones. After training at Fight Factory Pro Wrestling in Ireland, she debuted on 2 May 2015 under the name Valkyrie Cain, inspired by the Skulduggery Pleasant book series. She wrestled for OTT, wXw, and Pro-Wrestling: EVE, winning the OTT Women’s Championship and the EVE Tag Team Championship (with Debbie Keitel as The Woke Queens).
She signed with WWE in 2020 and debuted on NXT UK as Aoife Valkyrie, remaining undefeated for over a year. After NXT UK closed, she moved to the U.S. NXT brand, adopting the Lyra Valkyria name and a Morrigan-inspired character. Her breakthrough came at NXT Halloween Havoc 2023, where she defeated fellow Irish star Becky Lynch to win the NXT Women’s Championship. She held the title for 165 days before losing to Roxanne Perez at Stand & Deliver 2024.
In the 2024 WWE Draft, she was promoted to Raw, where she made history by becoming the inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion, defeating Dakota Kai. She later added the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship with Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 41, becoming a double champion.
“Valkyria spread her wings and soared in NXT by reaching the mountain top to become NXT Women’s Champion by defeating her fellow Irish Superstar Becky Lynch.”
— WWE.com editorial, official Superstar profile
The pattern: Lyra has won championships at every level of WWE, from NXT to main roster, typically in high-profile matches against fellow Irish stars.
Lyra Valkyria’s Personal Life: Husband, Partner, Kids
Lyra Valkyria is engaged to LJ Cleary, as detailed above. The couple has been together since around 2014 and got engaged in September 2024. No publicly available information indicates that she has children. Her partner, LJ Cleary, is also a professional wrestler, making their relationship a shared passion within the Irish wrestling scene.
What to watch: As her profile grows, more personal details may emerge, but currently the engagement is the only confirmed family milestone.
Other Irish WWE Superstars You Should Know
Lyra Valkyria joins a proud tradition of Irish talent in WWE. The table below compares her with three other notable Irish WWE superstars.
| Wrestler | WWE Brand | Nationality | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyra Valkyria | Raw | Irish | Inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Champion; NXT Women’s Champion |
| Becky Lynch | Raw | Irish | Multi-time Women’s World Champion; WrestleMania main eventer |
| Sheamus | SmackDown | Irish | Multiple-time WWE Champion; King of the Ring winner |
| Finn Bálor | Raw | Irish | First Universal Champion; NXT Champion |
All four wrestlers have been prominently featured on WWE programming, and Lyra Valkyria is the only one among them to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship—a title she created history by winning.
The trade-off: While each wrestler has achieved distinct success, Lyra’s inaugural title win sets her apart as a pioneer for the women’s division.
thesportster.com, ja.wikipedia.org, pl.wikipedia.org, wikiwand.com, de.wikipedia.org, anglejournal.uk, wrestlingdata.com, ripped.topps.com, tvinsider.com, youtube.com, fr.wikipedia.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lyra Valkyria’s real name?
Her real name is Aoife Marie Cusack. She also uses the name Marie Cusack in some contexts.
How tall is Lyra Valkyria?
Billed height varies among sources, with most listing her around 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in), but this is not officially confirmed by WWE.
Does Lyra Valkyria have children?
No publicly available information indicates she has children.
Is Lyra Valkyria engaged?
Yes, she is engaged to Irish professional wrestler LJ Cleary. The engagement was announced on 14 September 2024.
What is Lyra Valkyria’s nationality?
She is Irish, born and raised in Dublin, Ireland.