Royal Claddagh Rings, Made and
Hallmarked in Ireland
Irish Gifts
Ladies Claddagh Rings
from
Gents Claddagh Rings
from
Celtic Rings
from
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.
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