garyvol
Unregistered User
(3/23/04 9:45 am)

Claddagh design ring question

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Hi,
My wife Mary is half Irish. She was thinking outloud of getting me a Claddagh ring as a gift. I told her you can't because I haven't got an ounce of Irish in me, although we feel very close to the Emerald Isle since our visit. I don't think I should where the ring of risking angering the Emerald Gods. She then says, well can't we (Irish) adopt you.
Any one have an idea.
thanks for listening
-gary

MarthaA
Unregistered User
(3/23/04 3:33 pm)

 Claddagh Ring

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Gary,
I bought my claddagh ring on our first trip in 2001 as a 50th birthday present to myself. Like you I know of no Irish in my ancestry but I've not suffered any ill effects! I know that my family has roots in this country all the way back to colonial times. So I'm just going to assume that there must have been some Irish that snuck in there somewhere! Get a claddagh!
Martha

Michael
Unregistered User
(3/23/04 10:50 pm)

 Claddagh Ring

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Well, since there are no such things as "Emerald Gods" then you will be fine.

Wear it to your heart's content and just make sure that you place the crown in the right direction and on the right finger.

twanda49
Unregistered User
(3/23/04 11:58 pm)

 which finger?

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What is the proper direction and finger protocol for a Claddagh ring?
Marsha

Mark Dobson
Unregistered User
(3/24/04 12:09 am)

 Claddagh Rings

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The proper way to wear the ring is as follows.
Unless someone can correct me.

If you are married you wear it heart pointing in, and on the left hand.

If you are engaged to be married, you wear it on your right hand heart pointing in.

If you are fancy free, than it's on the right hand, heart point away from you.

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2349
(3/24/04 1:28 am)

Re: Claddagh design ring question

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Hi Gary,

I have never heard of having bad luck by wearing a Claddagh ring if you are not Irish. In fact people from all over the world wear them because of the lovely symbolism and legend associated with them. Here are a few links you might enjoy:

members.aol.com/plieadesqu/claddaugh.htm
www.irishcultureandcustom...hRing.html
www.claddaghrings.com/history.htm
www.galvia.com/collection_info.php
www.dermodyandmahar.com/History.html

I think that Mary's idea is lovely.

Michele

Irene Lee
Registered User
Posts: 15
(3/24/04 5:08 pm)

 Re: Claddagh Rings

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I believe that the wearing of the ring on the left hand when you are married is an Americanization thing.

Our Irish relatives in Ireland only wear it on the right and I just recently found a website (from one of Michele's links in her last newsletter)where it states that if married, the ring is worn on the right ring finger, crown outward. That's how I wear it since it was given to me by my husband in Galway. The lady in the jewelery store was the one who told him.

But I have heard of it worn on the left as Mark indicated. So I'm not sure where the differences came form. But--in Europe wedding bands are worn on the right hand-not the left.

Now I'm curious, too.

Mark Dobson
Unregistered User
(3/24/04 5:43 pm)

 Rings

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That is interesting !
I would hate to see the looks if I took it off my left hand and put it on my right !
My wife would kill me !
Mark

Irene Lee
Registered User
Posts: 16
(3/24/04 11:16 pm)

Re: Rings

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Take it from a wife Mark-don't even think about touching that ring!! Wherever she put it is where it will stay
Irene

Clodagh Ni
Posts: 22
(3/26/04 8:10 pm)

Re: Rings

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We have always worn our wedding rings on the left ring finger. Even my great-grandmother, who's 103, wears hers on the left.

The right hand ring finger is used by other European countries, but certainly not all.