As an extremely subtle sign that I have “put myself back on the market” after years of being closed off to such things, I started wearing a Claddagh ring (pronounced “clah-da”) a few weeks ago. Aside from being a wee bit of a conversation piece, it taps into those three pints or so of Irish blood pumping through my arteries.
I have never worn a ring before (plastic spider rings from trick-or-treat bags don’t count), and it feels a bit strange on my hand at times. The ring is sterling silver because I was never really partial to the look of gold jewelry, and gold is bloody expensive.
The hands are there for friendship,
The heart is there for love.
For loyalty throughout the year,
The crown is raised above.
The exact meaning of the symbolism varies by account, but the most common appears to be the following. When worn on the right hand with the heart facing outward, point towards the fingertip; it means that the wearer’s heart has yet to be won. While the wearer is under love’s spell, the ring is flipped around, with the crown on the outside and the heart pointing inward. Wearing the ring on the left hand, with the point of the heart toward the wrist, the wearer’s love is requited (the lucky sap is married).
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