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 fishing boat from the village was captured by pirates
and sold into slavery, the property of a rich Turkish goldsmith. One of the
crew, a man named Richard Joyce was to have been married the same week of the
capture.
As the years went by neither married, Richard Joyce was put to work at the
trade of goldsmithing. In time Joyce became a master craftsman, never
forgetting his girl back home, he made a ring of gold for her, with a heart
for love, a crown for loyalty and two hands for friendship.
Eventually, after eight years he escaped his captors and returned to his
village, and to his great joy he found that his love had never given up hope
of seeing him again. He gave her the ring he had made and they were married,
never to be separated again.
....thank you so much