Angel gave Buffy a Claddagh Ring for her 17th birthday in Surprise. The ring depicts a heart and crown, held by two hands. It symbolises love, loyalty and friendship. The ring originated in the small fishing village of Claddagh in Galway, Ireland, around 400 years ago. The ring can be worn in several different ways, each sending its own message. When worn on the right hand with the heart facing outward toward the nail, the ring signifies one whose heart is free. When the heart is facing inward, toward the knuckle of the right hand, it indicates that the heart is no longer available. And finally, if the ring is to appear upon the left hand, it traditionally means that love has been plighted.
In 1984 the people of Claddagh presented a specially commissioned Claddagh ring to Ronald Reagan. Scott Hope tried to give Buffy a Claddagh ring (which just smacks of desperation), but it freaked her out because she associated it with Angel, who she had had to kill in Becoming.
The letter ‘a’ in ‘Claddagh’ is pronounced as in ‘cat’ (Cla-da) rather than the mangled way in which David Boreanaz says it (Claw-daw). Any self respecting Galway vampire would know this!