What does the Irish Claddagh Represent?
What does the Irish Claddagh Represent?
The Irish Claddagh Ring, coming from the western coast town of Claddagh, Ireland has centuries of history, but today it symbolizes three things, Love, Loyalty & Friendship. With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, we thought we'd shine a light on one Irish-American military hero & reference how the claddagh's symbology represent everything good about who we are as a military community.
Michael P. Murphy was a U.S. Navy SEAL assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. "The Murph," as he was known to his buddies and his family, is the epitome of what makes an American warrior undying and his legacy everlasting. No words or blog can sum up his heroism; however, we'll attempt to give you a small glimpse of this contemporary American hero. To commemorate the countless operations and mission accomplishments of the U.S. Navy SEALs, JTR has dedicated an exclusive Navy SEAL Ring to its line of Navy Rings.
The Murph grew up in an Irish-American family in the state of New York and was very active in his high school days participating in sports, and was very passionate about water. This passion led him to join the U.S. Navy SEALS upon his graduation from Penn State University. As a college student-athlete, Michael Murphy served as a role model by being an excellent student and all-around athlete. Although he was accepted to multiple law schools, he chose to serve and fight for the Republic.
After being selected for the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School, he successfully graduated and then completed all the requirements to become a U.S. Navy SEAL in July 2002. He served in multiple deployments in Jordan, Qatar, Djibouti and Afghanistan. Operating in various capacities, Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a.k.a. The Protector, was famous among his subordinate and his peer for his humble personality and servant attitude.
A leader always leading from the front, he led his reconnaissance team in the rugged Afghan terrain, behind enemy lines in the Sawtalo Sar mountains. Initiating Operation Red Wings, as depicted in the best-selling book and movie “Lone Survivor," the team encountered enemy forces far larger than their own element. Having lost comms with higher and fighting in the most heroic way, the Murph gave up his covered position and went out in an open position. What happened next is one of the most heroic deeds of modern warfare. Murphy, under heavy enemy fire, called for backup without any regard for his own life. Midway through the call, he was shot more than a dozen times and dropped the phone. Rising above and beyond ordinary human capabilities, he picked up the phone again and completed his message to the headquarters. Legends sign out in legendary ways and Mike Murphy was no exception. Facing death, he concluded his phone call by saying, "Thank you."
Murphy's deeds earned him a well-deserved Medal of Honor for his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." His letters today are engraved in many monuments, and his name is a synonym for selfless service. His LOYALTY to his team, The LOVE he has for his country and undeniable FRIENDSHIP truly intersect between being a hero and an authentic Irish-American. "The Murph" is not physically among his family and friends anymore. Still, his legacy lives on in every American military institution and indeed in every gym around the world!
THE MURPH WORKOUT
One of the legacies of this famous U.S. Navy SEAL is the Murph Workout. The workout was Murph’s favorite and was known to build his outstanding athletic robustness. The world-famous workout is comprised of the following events:
- You start with a 1-mile run,
- You continue with 100 Pull-Ups,
- You follow it with 200 Push-Ups,
- You complete 300 Air Squats, and
- End with a robust 1-mile run.
The workout is definitely challenging and grinding, but you will reap the results once you set your mind to come out on the winning side!
A choice between our Navy Seal Ring or Irish Claddagh Ring, or both!
To America’s best, the U.S. Navy SEALs, we’ve designed a unique U.S. Navy Seal Ring to memorialize their charisma and winning mentality. We've dedicated a craiceáilte Irish Claddagh Ring to the Irish-American military community because of the historical ties between them and the Navy. The Jewelry Republic is a proud supporter of military charities, specifically putting an end Veteran suicide. Read more about that here.
Navy SEAL Ring Product Details:
- Custom made for you, 2 weeks or better to ship
- Solid .925 sterling silver
- Available in ring sizes 9 through 15+ U.S.
- Add any special size notes during check out. We will see them.
- Item arrives in solid packaging, silver polishing cloth & our life long thanks
- Free Engraving - just make a note at check out
Irish Claddagh Ring Product Details
- Solid 14K Gold Design
- Custom made for you, ships within 2 week or better
- Available in ring sizes 8 through 15+ US
- On request, this ring can be quoted in 18K gold or Platinum
- Item arrives in beautiful packaging & our life long thanks & warranty
As you know, we’re always contributing to veteran charities. If you're interested in doing some good, check out the LT Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation (https://murphfoundation.org/). You can be certain that when you purchase an Irish Claddagh Ring or U.S. Navy Jewelry, a portion of our profits go to noble causes such as education and veteran suicide prevention. Read more at our Veteran’s Support.