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Claddagh Hairslide <br>SOLD OUT

Claddagh Hairslide
SOLD OUT

A handsome hairslide featuring the Claddagh symbol. Made of silver-plated brass, with a wooden pin. Note: the pin goes correctly through the slide from one side only.

The well known Irish symbol of two hands holding a heart capped with a crown, represeents friendship, love and loyalty and fidelity. "The hands are there for friendship, the heart is there for love. For loyalty throughout the year, the crown is raised above."

The Claddagh motto is "Let Love and Friendship Reign", and it is named after the small fishing village, Claddagh, in Galway Bay, in the west of Ireland. There are several legends of origin of the Claddagh ring, with two popular ones standing out (see below).

Length: 2 7/8 in. (7.2 com)
Pin Length: 5 3/4 in. (14.5 cm)

Ref: VHS101

 

Our Price: $24.95

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Claddagh Legends

One tells of Margaret Joyce, who fell in love with a Spanish merchant, Domingo De Rona, and returned to Spain with him. He died shortly after, so the wealthy widow retuned to Galway and later married the Mayor of that town in 1596, Oliver Og Ffrench. While he was away on business, Margaret started building bridges all over Connaught, becoming known as "Margaret of the Bridges".

Legend has it that while sitting on one bridge project, an eagle dropped the golden prototype of the Claddagh ring as a gift from God for Margaret's charity and good works.

The other tells of Richard Joyce, who in 1675 while on his way to the West Indies, was captured by Algerian pirates and sold into slavery to a Turkish goldsmith. During 15 years of captivity Richard mastered the craft of the goldsmith. Upon release in 1689 he returned to Galway, to find that his sweetheart had never married. This prompted him to create the most beautiful ring he could imagine, reflecting her sentiments. He, in fact, became a very successful goldsmith, making Claddagh style rings until 1737. Over the years, the fishing families of Claddagh had a tradition of passing their rings down through the generations as heirlooms, until the design became synonymous with the village.


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