GALWAY, Ireland — Over the years the Claddagh ring — which shows two hands clasping a crowned heart — has been a love token, a friendship ring and, in modern times, a symbol of Ireland itself.
In the Past
Rings depicting two hands, called “fede” or fidelity rings, were worn in the Mediterranean region during the Middle Ages — and likely traders brought the first versions to Ireland.
The crown, which appears above the heart, is believed to have been introduced between the 1690s and 1700 by a Galway goldsmith named Richard Joyce. (According to James Hardiman’s “History of Galway,” published in 1821, Mr. Joyce had been captured by pirates in the
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