Happy St. Patrick’s Day lovely Irish (and non-Irish!) people! This is a day of parades, good luck, and green beer, but it is also known for some FANTASTIC Irish traditions, one of them being the CLADDAGH RING! You know, that silver or gold ring your Irish grandmother gave to you (like mine did!) or maybe the one your Irish friend wears?
So it turns out that this ring has a whole history behind it. The name comes from “An Cladch” which means “flat stony shore”, which is a reference to where the ring was first created. There are a few legends surrounding the origin of the claddagh ring, the most likely being the story of Richard Joyce of Galway. According to legend, Joyce was a merchant who left his love to work in the West Indies with the intention of marrying her when he returned. However, he was captured and enslaved by a Moorish goldsmith who was so taken by Joyce’s skill, that he offered his daughter’s hand in marriage to Joyce when he was freed. However, Joyce gave up riches and prestige to return home to his love and he made the claddagh ring as a symbol of his love and loyalty to his fiance. Don’t worry, it’s totally okay to say “awwww” here; this story is adorable!
The traditional design of the ring has a heart in the middle, which is held by two, interconnected hands, and is wearing a crown. The heart symbolizes love, while the hands represent friendship, and the crown represents loyalty. According to traditional Irish customs, when a woman wears the ring with the tip of the heart facing out on her right hand, she is single and if she wears the ring with the tip of the heart facing in on her right hand, she is in a relationship. The same logic applies for when she wears the ring on her left hand except when the heart is facing out she is engaged and when it is faced in, she is married. So, be careful about how you wear your ring around certain Irish family members!!
These days, the claddagh ring represents a more broad idea of Irish customs and can be found as earrings, necklaces, and, wedding rings! People even get claddagh tattoos! However stylized they become, they will always represent a range of Irish ideas and traditions!
So, show off your claddagh ring today! Happy St. Patty’s Day!!