Claddagh Ring Museum (The), Galway

The Claddagh Ring Museum functions both as a museum and as jeweler, who sell the traditional Claddagh rings. The ring's design comes from a group of finger-rings called faith rings. Two hands clasping a heart is a characteristic feature of these rings. The "Claddagh Ring" is distinctive because it has two hands holding a heart which is in turn surmounted by a crown. The Claddagh is the old fishing area of Galway, and was ruled independently until 1934. In the Claddagh the rings were used to indicate marriage, worn with the crown towards the knuckle when unwed and worn with the crown toward the finger tip on marriage. The rings were handed down from mother to daughter over the years.

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