The Celtic Trinity symbol has been said to have many meanings. The most obvious would be the Holy Trinity - the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost.
When used to make rings, Celtic necklaces, jewelry, and other bridal wear, the trinity symbol is used as a symbol of eternity and eternal love.
The Claddagh symbol is not just for rings anymore! A beautiful Claddagh charm is something every Irish girl would love to have for her Celtic necklace.
Just what lies behind this Celtic symbol? You all know the Claddagh symbol - A heart being held by two hands with a crown over the heart. Each piece of this symbol has its own special meaning:
The Heart: Love
The Hands: Friendship and Togetherness
The Crown: Loyalty
There is an old Irish tradition that goes along with this ring. Wear it with the heart pointing away from the body and that means its wearer is “single - available”. Point the heart towards the body and that means the wearer is “taken, engaged, or married”.
The origin of the Claddagh ring is said to have started with Richard Joyce, a native of Galway. It is believed that Joyce was captured at sea and sold into slavery. While he was in Algiers he learned the trade from his master. The ring was created by Joyce for the love he left behind in Ireland. Joyce was released from slavery when William III demanded the Moors release all British prisoners. It is said that he presented his love with the ring upon his return to Ireland.
It seems that a great majority of Celtic necklaces and jewelry are made of silver. Silver is both beautiful and affordable. But many people don’t know how to keep that new silver piece looking great. Want to keep your necklace shiny and fresh? A few very simple and easy steps will help keep it looking like new.
Keep your necklace in a bag when you’re not wearing it. A plastic ziplock bag will do just fine. Keeping the air out of the bag is essential to keep the oxidation to a minimum. Store the bag in a cool, dark place.
To clean your Celtic necklace, always use a soft 100% cotton cloth. An old cotton tshirt is perfect.
Is your necklace just a bit dirty? A very weak solution of dish detergent and water will take off light soil. Just be sure to dry completely when you’re done.
Silver paste cleaners can be used if your necklace is really tarnished. Silver cleaner can be easily found in the cleaning section of a large grocery store and can certainly be found at the local discount department stores. If your necklace or charm contains a gemstone, do not get the paste on your stone.
In addition to cleaners, many jewelers sell clothes that you can use on your silver pieces… very handy indeed!
And don’t wear your silver while you’re swimming! Chlorine can really do a number on silver jewelry.
I know this image is a bit hard to see. However, I love the Celtic necklace itself so much that I thought I would share it with all of you.
While doing some research on the Claddagh symbol, I came across the noted Galway jewelry store of Thomas Dillon. It seems that Thomas Dillon is the only jewelry maker that is permitted to stamp their Claddagh rings as “original”, since they are the original manufacturer of this ring.
In my Thomas Dillon search, I decided to take a look a their necklaces. What I found was so unique that I just had to pass it on. Again, sorry for the terrible picture but it was this bad starting out at the Thomas Dillon website! Use your imagination and you will see…
This Celtic Necklace was created after 9/11. Created to commemorate the friendship between the Irish and the Americans, it joins the Claddagh symbol with the American Flag. The American flag extends up through the middle of the ring that has the Claddagh hands and heart at the bottom. I must say that this is The perfect gift for any Irish American girl!
Being an Irish American, I thought that my love of all things Irish was due to my ancestry. A recent trip downtown to the Celtic Festival a few weeks ago really opened my eyes. Lot of dark haired, fair skinned people with piercing blue eyes were there of course. But what surprised me was that there were also lots of people who weren’t Irish at all.
And the festival-goers were loving the Irish scene. Among the tents with Irish musicians and food, there were crafts people selling their Irish and Celtic wares. It appears that the Celtic necklaces that I have so loved over the years are popular with LOTS of people – Irish and non-Irish alike!
So I did a bit of digging to see just when this whole Celtic necklace and jewelry thing started.
“There is no doubt at all that the Celt’s did indeed love symbolism. Celtic symbols are usually visual representations of many of the ancient Celtic customs and beliefs that date back to as early as 3000 BC. The ancient Celt’s believed that these symbols had powerful and mystical powers that had the ability to ward off evil spirits. So, they used these symbols in everything, from their clothing and their jewelry to their weapons and their armor, and everything in between as well.”
Excerpt taken from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/celtic-symbols.html
More tomorrow on the symbols we commonly see on Celtic necklaces.