Royal Claddagh Rings, Made and Hallmarked in Ireland

Irish Gifts

 Claddagh rings available for ladies, gents, and children, in solid sterling silver; 9ct, 14ct, and 18ct gold; and platinum - presented in black velum drawstring pouch, classic ring box, or in our extra special rosewood keepsake ringbox. All ring orders include a free miniature edition of "The Claddagh Ring" book by Malachy McCourt which tells the complete story of the ring (while stocks available).

Bestsellers available now at sale prices while stocks last.
 

 Free delivery worldwide. Full after sales guarantee, hassle free returns, and worry free exchange of ring sizes. Rush courier delivery is also available. A complete ring sizing order guide is available, especially for anyone trying to plan a surprise.

  Under Irish law dating back to 1637 all jewellery of precious metals must be stamped with the official hallmark - the traditional letter symbol for the year it was crafted, a fineness mark guaranteeing the purity of the gold, silver or platinum, and the official insignia of the Irish Assay Office in Dublin Castle. Only Claddagh rings made in Ireland can carry this hallmark. A guarantee of authenticity and fineness, identifying the legal precious-metal hallmark, and unique Claddagh story notes from Royal Claddagh are included with every ring.

  As a gift from Ireland the Royal Claddagh ring is unsurpassed and continues a centuries old symbolism of hands, heart and crown - "in love and friendship let us reign" - handed down the generations from mother to daughter.  Worn on the right hand with the heart facing out, the ring signifies that the wearer's heart is yet to be won, until worn with the heart inside for love, and on the left hand as a wedding ring. Royal Claddagh rings are uniquely named after the monarchs of day - dedicated as it was to King William of Orange for his intervention in freeing the slaves in North Africa; one of whom, Richard Joyce, was to return home to Galway and bring with him his now famous ring design ...

The Claddagh Story

An original symbol of the town of Claddagh, Galway, Ireland, the Claddagh Ring was first fashioned into the traditional ring back in the 17th Century during the reign of Mary II. Legend has it that an Irish young man, Richard Joyce, bound for the West Indian slave plantations was kidnapped himself in rough seas by a band of Mediterranean pirates and sold to a Moorish goldsmith who over the many long years of his exile helped him perfect the skills of a master craftsman. When in 1689 King William III negotiated the return of the slaves, Joyce returned to Galway - despite, it said, the Moor's offer of the daughter's hand in marriage and a princely dowry of half of all his wealth.

"Several individuals of this name have long felt grateful to the memory of William III. from the following circumstance, on the accession of that monarch to the throne of England. One of the first acts of his reign was to send an ambassador to Algiers to demand the immediate release of all the British subjects detained there in slavery, the dey and council, intimidated, reluctantly complied with this demand. Among those released, was a young man of the name of Joyes, a native of Galway, who, fourteen years before, was captured on his passage to the West Indies, by an Algerine Corsair; on his arrival at Algiers, he was purchased by a wealthy Turk who followed the profession of a goldsmith, and who observing his slave, Joyes, to be tractable and ingenious, instructed him in his trade in which he speedily became an adept. The Moor, as soon as he heard of his release, offered him, in case he should remain, his only daughter in marriage, and with her, half his property, but all these, with other tempting and advantageous proposals, Joyes resolutely declined; on his return to Galway he married, and followed the business of a goldsmith with considerable success" James Hardiman, The History of the Town and County of the Town of Galway.

Back in Ireland a young women had never stopped faithful waiting for her true love to return. Upon which time when he presented her with the now famous Royal Claddagh gold ring - a symbol of their enduring love. Two hands to represent their friendship, the crown to signify their loyalty and lasting fidelity, and the sign of the heart to symbolise their eternal love for each other. They soon married, never to be separated again.

The traditional wedding ring of the Irish since the 17th Century, the Royal Claddagh ring is today worn by people all over the world as a universal symbol of love, loyalty, friendship and fidelity, and of their Irish heritage.  For love, we wear the heart. In friendship, we wear the hands. And, in loyalty and lasting fidelity: we wear the Royal Claddagh crown.

Worn on the right hand, with crown and heart facing out, the ring tells that the wearer's heart is yet to be won. While under love's spell it is worn with heart and crown facing inwards. Wearing the ring on the left hand, with the crown and heart facing inwards, signifies that your love has been requited.

Traditionally handed down from mother to daughter the Royal Claddagh ring has also become a symbol of our ties with the past and generations gone by. As Irish people we remember the many many of our people who had to leave Ireland with nothing but their lives during the Great Famine of the 19th Century - many leaving from here in Cork harbour to make the long voyage across the Atlantic to America. The gold Royal Claddagh ring was to become for many the only enduring link with their home country and practically their only savings and family inheritance.

It is one of the few Irish icons and its tradition of how we wear it (whether the heart is facing in or out) that is so much part of Irish life that it is considered just ordinary amongst ourselves and then all the more special for those abroad. That "clumsy Claddagh ring" Molly Bloom calls it in Joyce's Ulysses.

"I wanted to give him a memento he gave me that clumsy Claddagh ring for luck that I gave Gardner" - Molly Bloom, James Joyce's Ulysses.