Claddagh Ring – symbol of union and loyalty The invention of the Claddagh ring is often attributed to Richard Joyce, a fisherman from the village of Claddagh near Galway. Richard was engaged to be married when, one fateful day, the fishing boat he was on was attacked by pirates who kidnapped the entire crew and sold them into slavery in Northern Africa. The image of two hands clasping a heart topped with a crown, symbolising love, loyalty and friendship, the heart standing for love, the hands friendship and the crown loyalty or fidelity. Richard was bought by a goldsmith in Algeria where he was put to work as a goldsmith’s apprentice. There he stayed, learning the craft and never forgetting the girl he’d left behind. Joyce was awarded his freedom Richard Joyce was awarded his freedom after many years of service and set off on the long journey home. On his return to Ireland he found that his true love had never lost hope that they would be reunited and had waited for him all the years of his absence. He used his new found skills as a goldsmith to invent the Claddagh ring for her.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 21:40:29 +0000
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