All Things Celtic

Since St. Patty's Day is this week, and since I am of Irish descent, I decided to post a bit of trivia about "All Things Celtic". 

 

At one time, all of Europe was ruled by Celts.  Romans, Anglos and Saxons were responsible for forcing them to move west and north -- into regions of Ireland, Scotland, and England mostly.  They were a people with their own Celtic language, their own names and letters. It is said that the Celts were a complex, intelligent, wealthy people whose roots went back some 25 centuries. 

  The Celtic designs we know today are a combination of knots, spirals, animals forms, zoomorphs and color. Some believe that the knots and symbols have deep-rooted meaning but historians argue that they were merely art work for the pleasure of the art and had no other meaning...  With the exception of the Claddaugh ring which was a promise ring given to women by their sailor-suitors before they went to sea.  Reportedly, the first Claddaugh rings were made in the 17th Century.  In this dainty ring, artisans incorporated the qualities of love (the heart), friendship (the hands) and loyalty (the crown).