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IRISH CLADDAGH RING
The first image of a Claddagh ring dates back to
the seventeenth century and is named after a fishing village in
Ireland. Today, the village is incorporated with the town of Galway,
but in those days Claddagh was located outside the city walls.
The wearing of the Claddagh ring began as a "fad"
when marriageable and engaged girls as well as married women started
to wear rings with two hands holding a crowned heart.
The position
of the crown and the hand on which the ring was placed, announced a
woman's' marital status to the outside world. The symbolism of these
elements is obvious: friendship (the hands), loyalty (the crown) and
love (the heart).
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On the right hand the ring could be worn with the
crown pointing towards the wrist (signal: I'm neither married nor
engaged. Have a chat with my father and who knows) or with the
crown pointing towards the fingernail (I am acquainted with a
nice boy and wait patiently whether he notice the changed state of
my ring). When worn on the left hand things got more serious,
after all your heart is located on the left side of your body. This
meant the girl was either deeply engaged (crown towards wrist) or
married (crown towards nail).
The story as told in the song The Claddagh
Ring might have been altered to fit in the popular idea that the
man buys the engagement ring but in actuality, Claddagh rings were
traditionally passed on from mother to daughter.
For a long time the Claddagh tradition was
restricted to the west part of County Galway, including the
Aran Islands. In the mid-nineteenth century the custom began
its advance. Forced out by the Great Famine, people fled the
severely afflicted province of Connacht and the tradition of
the Claddagh rings spread throughout Ireland. At the same time, many
emigrants sold their rings and used the money for ship passage to
America. Due to the immense supply on the market, most of them ended
up in melting pots.
The oversupply of rings didn't last long. Once
the emigrants settled in America and began to earn money, the desire
to buy a new Claddagh ring resurfaced.
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The Claddagh is a
visual portrayal of the eternal bond
of friendship, loyalty, and love.
The Heart symbolizes
love, life's finest impulse.
From it, generosity and compassion flow.
The Hands of
friendship are clasped around the heart
in a gesture of giving. As they cradle the heart gently,
the hands are both protective and strong,
like true friendship.
The Crown
symbolizes loyalty.
It represents the reward of love,
the highest achievement
the human spirit has yet accomplished.
To give the
Claddagh is to forge forever the bonds
of love, friendship, and loyalty.
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The hands are there for friendship,
The heart is there for love.
For loyalty throughout the year,
The Crown is raised above
Irish Blessing
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