The Claddagh ring is a traditional Irish ring that originated in Claddagh, a former fishing village near Galway City. It's a most desired piece of jewellery for centuries, worn by Irish men and women, symbolizing love, loyalty, and friendship. It is a good souvenir to take from Ireland for your loved ones.
The unique design of the Claddagh ring personifies the interconnectedness of heart, hand, and crown, where the heart represents love for the bride, the hands stand for friendship, and the crown stands for loyalty. In the Claddagh ring design, the hands hold a heart bearing a crown commonly made of gold or silver. A variation of the ring known as the 'Fenian' Claddagh ring, which comes without a crown, is unsuccessful in achieving the same level of popularity. Modern Irish customs suggest that the Claddagh ring is worn traditionally to denote the marital status of the wearer. The marital status can be traced by how the ring is worn. For example, wearing the ring on the right hand, and pointing the heart toward the fingertips conveys the wearer is single, and the heart pointing towards the wrist means the wearer is in a relationship. While on the left hand, when the point of the heart is towards the fingertips means the wearer is engaged and towards the wrist means the wearer is married.
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