The Legend of the Claddaugh Ring

The symbolism of the Claddaugh ring has deep roots in Irish heritage. Claddaugh refers to a small fishing village in County Galway, which is located in the western region of Ireland. The ring is designed as a heart being encircled by a pair of hands, with a crown placed above the heart. The heart signifies love, the hands friendship, and the crown loyalty-two hands joined together in love and crowned by the glory of Christ. The crown to the Father, the left hand to the Son, and the right hand to the Holy Ghost. The design, in early times, was known as the symbol of the "Fishing Kings of Claddaugh." In those days the rings were kept as heirlooms and passed on from mother to daughter. It soon became popular as a betrothal or a wedding ring and was exchanged between two people as a symbol of love or friendship. In marriage the ring is worn on the left hand with the heart facing towards the wrist; in friendship it is worn on the right hand with the heart facing towards the fingertips. When worn on the right hand with the heart pointing towards the wrist it is meant to "let love and friendship reign forever, never to be separated."

There are various legends associated with the Claddaugh Ring that date back to the early 1800's. One Irish tale states that Algerian pirates kidnapped a Galway seafarer, called Richard Joyce, around 1860, and sold him into slavery in North Africa. Richard left his homeland and the love of his life when he was sold to a wealthy Moorish goldsmith who taught him the trade. When King William III took his throne he encouraged a peace treaty whereby all captives were to be set free. Richard's owner acknowledged the value of his skill and did not want to let him return to Ireland. He offered Richard his daughter's hand in marriage in hopes that he would stay. Richard turned down the offer but continued to practice the trade and became skilled enough to design a ring of special significance. Years went by and one day Richard managed to escape to Ireland. He returned to find that his love had not yet married. They were wed right away and Richard gave her the ring he had designed while he was a slave. This was the very first Claddaugh Ring ever exchanged. For hundreds of years after this, the village locals used the ring as a wedding band.

Another legend states that there was a king who fell madly in love with a peasant woman, but because she was of a lower class they could not be united in love as husband and wife. In his misery the king committed suicide and left instructions that his hands were to be cut off and placed around his heart as a symbol of his undying love for this woman.

Today the ring is worn extensively across Ireland and also in other countries across the world. It has been said that it is bad luck to obtain the ring for one self and should be accepted or given as a gift.