Story of the Claddagh

The “Claddagh” has two hands gently holding a heart, topped with a crown. Over time, this traditional Irish ring design has come to signify that a person is married or in a serious relationship when worn with the crown facing outward, toward the fingernail, and to indicate someone’s availability when reversed, with the heart facing outwards. It is named because it is believed to have originated within a small fishing community on the shore or “Claddagh” of Galway Bay – close to the City of Galway, on the west coast of The Republic of Ireland.

While elements of it are believed to have originated from long ago, the Claddagh design is thought to have first been developed, as we know it, in the 17th century. Richard Joyce learned his trade while enslaved to a Moorish goldsmith in the late 1600s. Upon being freed, Joyce returned to Galway where he plied his trade and legend would have us believe that he is responsible for this wonderfully, heart-warming symbol of love.