Picture:
Legend:
The romantic story of the mystical and beautiful Claddagh Ring began way back over 300 years ago in the ancient fishing village of Claddagh just outside the walls of the City of Galway on the west coast of Ireland.
Legend has it that a local man, Richard Joyce, was captured by pirates and sold into slavery, the property of a rich Turkish goldsmith.In time Joyce became a master craftsman himself and, on earning his freedom, returned to Galway and created the legendary Claddagh Ring.
The ring, depicting two hands clutching a heart, complete with a crown, epitomises the expression of lasting love and eternal friendship. The heart symbolises love, the hands friendship and the crown loyalty and fidelity.
Wear this ring on your right hand with the heart facing outwards and the world will know your heart has not yet been won.
Wear it on the right hand with the heart facing inwards and it shows you have friendship and love under consideration.
But worn on your left hand with the heart turned inwards it means two loves have joined forever.