Upon the early morning of the eve of a most loved and lucky day of the year, St Patrick's Day, I thought it most necessary to incorporate and touch upon the Irish and Celtic love traditions throughout history. Although the Irish have always celebrated the Christianity that St. Patrick brought to Ireland, Celtic tradition has heavily influenced the Irish as well.
The Claddagh( Claw-Da) ring is one of the most significant symbols and love traditions developed in Ireland. It is said to have originated in a tiny fisherman village of the same name near Galway City by a man of the name Richard Joyce who was a native to the city. The ring with two hands(friendship) holding a heart(love) topped with a crown( loyalty), symbolizes the key elements thought to make a successful relationship. The ring is usually given to a girl or young woman by a young man as symbol that she is taken or as a form of betrothal or entrance into a serious relationship.
The 17th century Scottish Luckenbooth is another closely related symbol of love that was usually given to a young woman as a sign that she is taken. The Luckenbooth displays two hearts intertwined with a crown adorning on top, and is usually in the form of a pin that is given to the woman to wear to show she is in a serious relationship.
Welsh love spoons are another common love tradition or gift given that is said to have originated somewhere in the 17th century in Wales. A Welsh love spoon is a decorated wooden spoon that is carved from one piece of wood and displays a variety of symbols such as birds, hearts, or wheels that were thought to induce love, luck, prosperity, and health in a growing relationship. The custom is thought to be derived from the man's desire to impress upon the father during courtship and as a demonstration of his skill in woodworking and his ability to take care of a family. Although maybe not used in courting, today the Welsh love spoon is used as a gift given for love or friendship.
Other Irish love traditions were displayed in the wedding itself. Weddings held under marriage oak, or inside stone circles, in which participants of the wedding dance ,or bride and groom passing naked through a stone carved hole to demonstrate a rebirth into new life are all Irish love traditions. Because the bride is thought to be a spiritual treasure from another spiritual world and the groom is thought to deal with worldly deeds, the bride and groom sometimes passed through rope barriers as a symbol of their conquest to overcome obstacles in their union. The mocking of hostility was common and a man may have been given a riddle to solve as an alternative to horseplay during the wedding ceremonies.
Because the Irish do not like to put themselves before God , and because an Irish wedding was known to last up to two or three days filled with dance and party, it was common to have weddings Monday ,Tuesday, or Wednesday in tradition so not to interfere with the Lord's day. As the old Irish saying went, each day denoted a special meaning if united on that day..
Monday for health
Tuesday for wealth
Wednesday the best day of all
Thursday for losses
Friday for crosses
And Saturday no day at all
By Jennifer H. McGee
