"With these hands I give you my heart and I crown it with my love."
-an expression that accompanies the passage of the ‘Claddagh.’
Ray and Fraser stood on the cold, wet pavement of the sidewalk, watching the festive parade go by. The Italian shivered slightly under the assault of a fine rain and a cold breeze. Ray didn’t mind watching the Saint Patrick’s Day parade, it was always a big event in the city of Chicago and he had attended many of them with his family while growing up. Yes, he was Italian, but that didn’t preclude him from enjoying a good time if it wasn’t for this rain and wind…
However, this was Benny’s first Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago and Ray wanted to give his lover the opportunity to witness a proud tradition of the city.
Fraser looked at his best friend with some concern. "Ray? Are you all right?"
"I’m fine, Benny. It’s just a little cold out here."
"Do you want to leave?"
"No way! We’re going to stay, okay?"
"Thank you kindly, Ray."
Both men smiled warmly at each other when a young girl with auburn hair and a festive green dress approached them from the parade.
"Are you gentlemen enjoying the parade?"
Ray and Benny nodded their heads quickly, slightly embarrassed at this intrusion on their private moment.
The girl grinned at them knowingly. "It seems that some of us have more luck of the Irish than others. Open your hands for me, please."
Ray and Benny held out their hands, their palms facing up, and the young lady dropped a gold trinket into each. "Erin go bragh!" and she was suddenly off to talk to the other spectators of the parade.
"Hey, Benny? What did she give us?" Ray stared at the gold band in his hand.
"I believe it is called a Claddagh ring. The Claddagh is a symbol of love and friendship." Fraser put the ring on his finger and admired it. "You see the heart being held by a pair of hands with the crown above? The two hands represent friendship, the crown of loyalty, and the heart – of love."
"That’s pretty neat, Benny."
"It is believed the Claddagh ring was created by Richard Joyce, a native of Galway. Pirates in the Mediterranean had captured him while he was being transported to the plantations of the Moorish West Indies as a slave, and a goldsmith who had brought him trained him extensively in the craft of jewelry making. After Richard Joyce was set free in 1689, he returned to Galway to set up a small shop in the tiny village of Claddagh…"
The cop’s emerald eyes glazed over. "Uh, thanks for the info, Fraser!"
Ray slipped the dainty ring onto his finger and Fraser was now frowning at him.
"What’s wrong, Benny?"
"You are wearing your Claddagh ring the wrong way. You see, Ray, you are wearing the ring on your right hand with the heart pointed outwards, indicating that you are ‘free.’ Wearing the ring with the heart turned inwards, pointing towards your own heart, denotes you as being ‘taken’ or ‘married’."
"Oops! Sorry, Benny."
Ray slipped off the ring and placed it in its proper position on his finger, showing the world in a secret way that he was completely ‘taken’ by the Mountie.
Fraser frowned at him again.
"Argh! Now what?"
"Well, Ray, you are wearing the ring on your right hand. The best place is on your left hand showing that you are *happily* married."
"Of course! Anything for you, Benny."
"Thank you kindly."
Ray placed his ring on his left hand, the gold heart now pointing towards his own, and Ray didn’t feel so cold anymore as he watched the parade with his best friend and lover.
endnote: Most of my facts are by faulty memory! So, please don’t blame me for any inaccuracies or for the Riverdance!
Celtic art holds a lot of symbolism. The gold band of my very own Claddagh ring actually broke in half one day! I wonder if this indicates a broken heart? *sniffles*