This is my claddagh ring, which I bought right smack in the middle of City Centre in Dublin mostly because the vendor called out as I was walking by, "Lass! Lass! Aye, you with the roan in your hair...would you have a wee minute to come over here and brighten my day with your smile?" I'm a sucker for charm, especially when it comes with a twinkle in the eye. I only found out later that "roan" means a reddish tint, and is generally a term used when discussing horses.
There are as many stories about how the claddagh ring came to be as there are Irishmen in Ireland, probably. The one that is generally held to have the most basis in historical truth goes something like this: A man named Richard Joyce, native of Galway, left his town to go find work in the West Indies. Along the way, his ship was captured by pirates and he was sold into slavery to a Moorish goldsmith which is where he learned to make jewelry. When William III (William of Orange) became king, he insisted that Moors release all the British citizens they had. Richard Joyce was allowed to return home, and brought with him the idea of the ring.
Because Richard Joyce regained his freedom from King William, the crown is said to represent loyalty to the British throne. The hands are supposed to represent friendship, and the heart of course represents love.
Because the native Irish were engaged in a battle for independence from Britain, some objected to the crown being a part of the design. There was a Fenian version of the ring that did not have the crown, but it never was as popular.
The way that a claddagh ring is worn on the hand is usually intended to convey some indication of the wearer's romantic availability. It is generally true that if the ring is on the right hand with the heart facing towards the hand, indicates that the person wearing the ring is in a serious relationship (his/her heart is closed). A ring worn on the right hand, with the heart outward, away from the hand, the person wearing the ring is not in any serious relationship (the heart is open). A claddagh worn on the left hand with the heart toward the hand indicates marriage. The other orientation (heart outward) indicates nothing.
Source: Wikipedia
I wear my ring on my left hand, with the heart outward, because I believe that a little bit of mystery never hurt anyone.
7 comments:
Nice pic. My brother has one of those rings.
Thanks for the background information! A little mystery can be a good thing, for sure!
When I was younger, I really wanted one of these rings. A bunch of girls at school had them. I never got one, though. I'm a nerd.
Great shot. Interesting back story to the ring. Thanks.
Great ring. nice image. Thanks for the background info. I like your choice of left hand/outward LOL.. :)
You have really nice product lighting. Do you use a light tent?
The ring is really pretty, thanks for the info on it. I think it's a really wonderful thing to own something (in this case, this particular type of ring) which has some sort of story or culture associated with it. I'd love to get something like this someday. I'm really sentimental, I live for keepsakes!
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