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The Romance Behind the Claddagh Ring.

© Lianne Bruynell Lopes

Long a symbol of western Ireland, particularly the area of the Claddagh fishing village near Galway City, the Claddagh or Irish wedding ring is also a beautiful symbol of love. At this time, the week of Valentine's, where we set aside a special day for remembering those we love, the story behind the Claddagh is especially significant.

Two stories exist concerning the origin of this Irish treasure, both associated with the same family. The first is that Margaret Joyce married a wealthy Spanish merchant and moved with him to Spain. He died not long after, leaving her his fortune. She returned to Ireland and made improvements to her land, using her newly acquired wealth. Margaret remarried, and one day a bird flew by and dropped the ring into her lap as a reward for her good works.

But far more romantic, and indeed, more believable is the story about Richard Joyce, nearly a century later. Richard was betrothed, and to marry his love the very week he was captured by a band of pirates. He was sold as a slave to a Moorish goldsmith. His master taught him the trade, and Joyce became an excellent smith. During the eight years of his enslavement, he never stopped thinking about his love back home. He fashioned a ring especially for her, with symbols representing his sentiments for her. The heart represented his love, the crown, loyalty, and the hands, friendship. Longing for home and the girl of his heart, he escaped, and made it back to his homeland of Galway. Upon arrival, bearing the ring, he found his betrothed had also never stopped thinking of him. She had remained single, ever hoping he would some day return to her. He gave her the ring he'd made for her, and they were married immediately. Eventually Joyce went into business crafting his fine ring. Of course, as with every romanticized story of love, they lived happily ever after.

There are some variations of this story, for instance, stating that Joyce was already a goldsmith, and he was released from slavery as the result of a demand by the king. His Moorish master liked him so much he offered his daughter and half his wealth to Joyce, but the love sick Irishman turned the offer down to return to his sweet colleen at home.

Today, although many people wear the Claddagh as just a pretty ring, it means more to others. Claddaghs are used by many Irish, especially around the Galway area, as a wedding ring.