A wedding ring is such a unique and personal piece of jewelry. Once your wedding ring is placed on your finger, you will never want to take it off! Every day, you will wear your ring as a reminder of one of the happiest days of your life. More importantly, you wear it as a symbol of the most important person in your life. While quality and longevity are really important when choosing your rings. But it is just as important to find that perfect ring that you will be proud to wear as an expression of your commitment to one another for the rest of your days. For this reason, many couples choose rings that are unique and meaningful to them. Your Celtic or Irish wedding ring should reflect who you are as an individual and as a couple. For those of Irish heritage, a Celtic wedding ring handcrafted specifically for you is the perfect way to honor this. If you are considering choosing a Celtic wedding ring, here we have shared 4 different styles of Irish rings we think you will love!
Celtic Wedding Rings
There is nothing more symbolic of the Celts than the famous Celtic knot work. From stone structures to religious artifacts and even their decorative metal pieces, beautifully ornate designs were used to adorn almost every Irish treasure from the Celtic era.
The unique Celtic Knot is one of the most easily recognized symbols of historic Irish art. These knots, with their intricate interlacing, have no beginning or end. The patterns form continuous lines that are never-ending. These offer the perfect way to represent your eternal commitment and love while honoring your Celtic heritage.
Celtic Wedding Rings There are many different types of Celtic knots, including the trinity knot shown below.
Find out more about ordering your ideal custom Irish Ring
Ogham Wedding Ring
Ogham is an ancient alphabet used in early medieval Ireland from around 400 – 900 AD. Ancient Irish societies used the ogham alphabet as a written form of early versions of the Gaelic language. Since this was before the invention of paper, it was carved into stones (and possibly wood too, although any examples of this would not have survived through the centuries as wood decomposes naturally). There are around 400 surviving stones today in both Ireland and Britain, although the majority are scattered around rural areas of Kerry, Cork, and Waterford. The majority of these ancient inscriptions on the standing stones are names of people.
Men's White Gold Ogham Wedding ring
Ogham standing stones are usually tall and narrow, with a natural (or man-made) edge where the letters were carved. The letters themselves are not letters in the conventional sense but merely lines or linear strokes of different lengths and angles clustered together along the edge of the stone. The simplistic ancient writing works really well on smaller pieces of jewelry such as wedding rings which can be customized with letters or short phrases of your choice. Considering this alphabet is thousands of years old, it's amazing how modern it looks when used to personalize these contemporary Irish wedding rings. Learn more on our Guide to the Ogham Alphabet
Claddagh Ring
The Claddagh Wedding ring tradition is a long-standing Irish custom, The original design dates back to the 17th century. The Claddagh ring has a very unique design consisting of two hands holding a heart. A crown rests on top. Each element of the design expresses a sentiment. The hands represent friendship. Heart for love. The crown symbolizes loyalty. The design originated in the small enclave of Claddagh in County Galway, a fishing village and is said to have been designed by goldsmith Richard Joyce. There are a number of lesser known variations of this iconic ring such as the Fenian Claddagh ring which does not include a crown. This Irish ring is now recognised worldwide as a symbol of love and commitment.
These rings were originally a gift which was passed between family members. It was also common for lovers to give a Claddagh ring to the object of their affection. Traditions have also developed around how you should wear it. Wearing it on the ring finger of your left hand is said to mean you are in long-lasting and serious relationship. Worn on the ring finger of the right hand was a sign that the relationship casual or you were single.
Irish Wedding Ring: Gaelic Engravings
One of the most distinctive aspects of Irish culture is the Irish Gaelic language. Our native language plays a significant role in the story of Ireland's often troubled history. It is a beautiful language, with many different, descriptive and lyrical ways to say the same thing. Irish wedding rings with Gaelic words engraved are particularly special. We have listed just a few of the wonderful phrases you may consider engraving.
Cara: Friend
Anam Cara / Mo Anam Cara: Soulmate / My Soulmate
Grá: Love
A Stór: My treasure
A mhuirnin: My little darling
Mo cuishle: My pulse
A chroí: My heart
Mo rúnshearc: My true love
Ordering your Irish Wedding Ring
At Claddagh Design, all of our jewelry is hand made in Ireland using high-quality precious metals. Each individually crafted wedding ring is hallmarked by the Irish Assay Office, Dublin Castle with secure worldwide delivery to your home. Feel free to get in touch below to discuss your special one-of-a-kind piece. Or see our Celtic Wedding Ring collection available through our shop.