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Valentine's Day (14th.) has been associated with romantic love for years now. Young lovers  express their love for each other by presenting rings, flowers, chocolates, keys, etc. to each other. How will Facebook cope at all, at all! I haven't experienced romantic love myself, I'm afraid.

But here in Ireland since the 17th century we have had the tradition of the Claddagh Ring which also expresses romantic love. Claddagh is a little village near Galway in the west of Ireland. The story goes that a local lad, Richard Joyce, was captured by Algerian pirates and sold into slavery to a Moorish goldsmith. He became an expert at the job. After a number of years he was given his freedom. He returned to his beloved girlfriend in the Claddagh  who had remained faithful to him. Before he left Algeria he fashioned a special ring for her to mark their undying love for one another.

The ring  was designed with interlocking hands to represent friendship, a crown to illustrate loyalty, and a heart to symbolise their enduring love.

Below is an old photo of the Claddagh in the 19th century.


lovely thank you

my love endures - the memory is eternal
Celebrate it!