Claddagh rings originated in Ireland and are used to symbolize friendship or romantic love. The design features a heart, crown, and hands, representing love, loyalty, and friendship. The rings are believed to have been invented by a Galway native named Richard Joyce, who was a slave in Algiers. The direction the crown faces when worn can indicate the wearer’s romantic state. Claddagh rings are popular as symbols of friendship and romantic attachment, with silver rings often worn as friendship rings and gold-embellished rings sold as wedding or engagement rings.
Claddagh rings are rings of a special design that originated in Ireland and have since spread throughout the world. The ring is generally used to signify friendship or romantic love.
The design of the claddagh rings is quite simple, with a heart in the center that bears a crown on its beak, held by two hands. Each of these three elements corresponds to a trait seen as necessary for a happy marriage. The heart represents love, the crown represents loyalty, and the hands represent friendship. It can be interpreted that the ring underlines the importance of love being loyal and sustained by a strong friendship.
The Claddagh rings come from what was once the fishing village of Claddagh in Ireland. The region that was once the village is now part of Galway city centre. Claddagh rings originate from sometime during the 17th century, though their exact origins are only speculated upon.
The origin theory given the most credibility is that claddagh rings were the invention of a Galway native named Richard Joyce who ended up as a slave in Algiers. He eventually became a slave to a goldsmith, where he was taught the ways of working metal. When he was finally released and returned to Ireland, he created the concept of claddagh rings.
Another story, admittedly apocryphal, tells the story of a woman who was a member of the Joyce clan. This woman was very generous and did many good works with a large inheritance from her husband, helping Galway to prosper. One day, as a reward, legend has it, an eagle dropped the ring on which all other claddagh rings would be based.
Another story, which falls somewhere between the two in its plausibility, tells of a nobleman who forged the claddagh ring to demonstrate his honorable intentions to a woman’s father. Hearing the nobleman’s explanation of the three virtues symbolized by the claddagh ring, he gave his blessing and the couple were happily married. The story spread and soon other lovers began wearing claddagh rings to signify their own engagement.
Many people hold that the hand rings are worn, as well as the direction the crown is facing, indicate something about the nature of the wearer’s romantic state. When worn on the right hand with the crown facing away from the hand, the wearer is in a serious relationship. If the crown is facing the hand, the wearer is romantically available. If worn on the left hand, it can be interpreted to mean that the wearer is married, regardless of the position of the crown; or a distinction can be made between marriage, where the crown faces away from the hand, and engagement, where the crown faces towards the hand.
Claddagh rings have become very popular throughout the West as symbols of friendship and as a promise of romantic attachment. Less expensive silver claddagh rings are usually worn as friendship rings, while very high-quality gold-embellished claddagh rings are often sold as wedding or engagement rings.
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