Claddagh ring
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The Claddagh ring is a traditional Irish ring, given in friendship or worn as a wedding ring. The design and customs associated with it originated in the Irish fishing village of Claddagh, located just outside the old walls of the city of Galway. The ring was first produced in the 17th Century during the reign of Queen Mary II, though elements of the design are much older.
Symbolism
The Claddagh's distinctive design features two hands clasping a heart, and usually surmounted by a crown. The elements of this symbol are often said to correspond to the qualities of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown). The expression which was associated with these symbols in the giving of the ring was: "Let love and friendship reign."
The way that a Claddagh ring is worn on the hand is usually intended to convey the wearer's romantic availability, or lack thereof. Traditionally, if the ring is on the right hand with the heart facing outward and away from the body, this indicates that the person wearing the ring is not in any serious relationship, and may in fact be single and looking for a relationship: "their heart is open." When worn on the right hand but with the heart facing inward toward the body, this indicates the person wearing the ring is in a relationship, or that "someone has captured their heart". A Claddagh worn on the left hand ring finger, facing outward away from the body, generally indicates that the wearer is engaged. When the ring is on the left hand ring finger and facing inward toward the body, it generally means that the person wearing the ring is married.[1] One phrase linked to the romantic side of the ring's symbolism runs "With these two hands, I give you my heart, and crown it with my love".
Origin
There are also a variety of legends about the origins of the ring
One tale is about Margareth Joyce, a woman of the Joyce clan. She married a Spanish merchant named Domingo de Rona. She went with him to Spain, but he died and left her a large sum of money. She returned to Ireland and, in 1596, married Oliver Ogffrench, the mayor of Galway. With the money she inherited from her first marriage, she funded the construction of bridges in Connacht. All this out of charity, so one day an eagle dropped the Claddagh ring into her lap, as a reward
Another story tells of a Prince who fell in love with a common maid. To convince her father his feelings were genuine and he had no intentions of "using" the girl, he designed a ring with hands representing friendship, a crown representing loyalty, and a heart representing love. He proposed to the maid with this ring, and after the father heard the explanation of the symbolism of the ring, he gave his blessing.
One legend that may be closer to historical truth is of a man named Richard Joyce, another member of the Joyce clan and a native of Galway. He left his town to work in the West Indies, intending to marry his love when he returned. However his ship was captured and he was sold as a slave to a Moorish goldsmith. In Algiers, with his new master, he was trained in his craft. When William III became king, he demanded the Moors release all British prisoners. As a result, Richard Joyce was set free. The goldsmith had such a great amount of respect for Richard Joyce that he offered Joyce his daughter and half his wealth if Joyce stayed, but he denied his offer and returned home to marry his love who awaited his return. During his time with the Moors he forged a ring as a symbol of his love for her. Upon his return he presented her with the ring and they were married.
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
The Irish Potato Famine (1845–1849) caused many to emigrate from Ireland, and the Claddagh ring spread along with the emigrants to the United States and elsewhere. Now the design is worn worldwide. These rings are often considered heirlooms, and passed on from mother to daughter as well as between friends and lovers.
A "Fenian" Claddagh, without the crown, was later designed in Dublin for the Irish Republican community, but that is not an indication that the crown in the original design was intended as a symbol of fidelity to the British crown. The Fenian Claddagh, while still being made, has not approached the popularity of the ancient design.
The Claddagh ring is a variant of older rings called "Fede" rings which date to Roman times.[3]
Popular culture
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The Claddagh design has been used as a logo by the Scottish rock band Simple Minds, notably on the cover of their live album In the City of Light (1987).
A Claddagh ring appeared in the 2004 film Ladder 49 where the lead character shows his commitment to a romantic relationship.
The Claddagh is also seen in the 1991 film Dead Again.
Edward Norton wears the Ring in the Movie Rounders (1998).
In the Buffy The Vampire Slayer season two episode, "Surprise", Angel gives a Claddagh ring to Buffy for her 17th birthday. In a later episode, another suitor, Scott, also attempts to give Buffy a Claddagh, which she rejects. The popularity of the TV show led to an increased popularity of the rings. Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy, took some liberties with the traditional meanings, reinterpreting them somewhat to better suit the storyline of the show.
In the movie "Powder," the ring is Sheriff Barnum's wife's wedding ring.
In the movie The Brothers McMullen Barry gives Audrey a Claddagh ring. At the end of the movie the ring, which she had given back to him, is the impetus that convinces him he loves her and to stop her from leaving.
Throughout the movie Clerks II, Brian O'Halloran's character Dante Hicks wears a Claddagh ring. Although he is engaged, he wears it in a manner denoting the wearer is in a non-serious relationship, foreshadowing the demise of his relationship in the movie. Also, if one looks closely, it is clear that Dante is also wearing a Claddagh ring in Clerks I. Brian O'Halloran is also seen wearing the ring in all his other movies, such as Drop Dead Roses or Vulgar.
At their Celtic Pagan handfasting, musician Jim Morrison of The Doors and author Patricia Kennealy-Morrison exchanged Claddagh rings. A picture of the rings was included on the cover of Kennealy-Morrison's book, Strange Days: My Life With and Without Jim Morrison, and the Claddaghs can be seen in most of her author photos as well.[4]
In a scene loosely based on the above ceremony, Val Kilmer and Kathleen Quinlan, as fictional versions of Morrison and Kennealy-Morrison, are also seen exchanging the rings in Oliver Stone's movie, The Doors.[4]
In Ted Demme's 1998 film, Monument Ave., a number of the Irish-American characters wear Claddagh rings. However, they all seem to wear them in the manner usually associated with marriage, even though none of the characters seen wearing the rings are married.
A claddagh ring is seen in several scenes of the TV Series Brotherhood (Showtime), usually worn on the right hand of the character "Michael Caffee" (played by Jason Isaacs).
In David Levithan's 2004 book, The Realm of Possibility, a claddagh ring is featured on the cover and within the text.
The Hold Steady refer to a claddagh ring in the song "Your Little Hoodrat Friend", off their second album, Separation Sunday.
Peter O'Toole is seen wearing the ring in the 1991 movie King Ralph. The ring in on the right hand, middle finger and has the heart facing outward. Most notably in the final scene when he hugs John Goodman and bids farewell.
In the movie Return to Me, Minnie Driver is seen wearing the ring on the middle finger of her right hand. It can be most clearly seen in the last scene when kissing David Duchovny.
Noel Gallagher of British rock band Oasis has also been known to wear a claddagh ring on his right ring finger. This can be seen on the band's What's The Story, Morning Glory album sleeve.
In the May 13, 2000 episode of Saturday Night Live 'Zazu' mentions that Sully bought her a Claddagh ring.
Elvis Costello wears a claddagh ring on the covers of his albums 'My Aim is True','This Year's Model' and 'Almost Blue' as well as on the picture sleeve of his single 'Watching the Detectives'.
In the movie Black Hawk Down, Army Ranger Private Thomas is seen wearing a Claddagh ring on his right ring finger, the heart facing towards him.
Notes
- ^ Murphy, Colin, and Donal O'Dea (2006) The Feckin' Book of Everything Irish. New York, Barnes & Noble. p.126 ISBN 0-7607-8219-9
- ^ Hardiman, James, The History of Galway
- ^ The Story of the Claddagh Ring from Pot O'Gold online. Accessed 9 Feb 2007
- ^ a b Kennealy, Patricia (1992). Strange Days: My Life With And Without Jim Morrison. New York: Dutton/Penguin. ISBN 0-525-93419-7.
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References
- McAdoo, Patricia, with illustrations by James Newell (2005) Claddagh: The Tale of the Ring
- Pearsall, Judy [ed] (2004) "Claddagh Ring" in The Concise Oxford Dictionary. Oxford University Press
- Sammon, Paddy (2002) Greenspeak: Ireland in Her Own Words" Town House Press. ISBN 1-860-59144-2
External Links
- The story behind the Claddagh ring - RTÉ news feature (click on "Watch the Show" under the image on the right)