Two hands holding a crowned heart: that’s the Claddagh, and nearly every Irish family recognizes it on sight. The Claddagh address plaque puts the symbol next to your house number so the sign does double duty, marking the house and saying where the family came from. It sells steadily around St. Patrick’s Day and as a housewarming gift.

What the Claddagh address plaque says

Line 1 holds up to 5 characters at 3 inches tall for the house number. Line 2 holds up to 16 characters at 1.25 inches. Our sample reads “4708” over “Belfast Drive,” which uses 13 of those 16. Everything is cast into the aluminum, so the letters are part of the plaque rather than a layer on top.

If your street name runs past 16 characters, shorten “Drive” to “Dr” or “Road” to “Rd.” Count the space between words as a character.

Finish options

You can order the Claddagh address plaque in Antique Copper, Black/Gold, Bronze/Gold or Green/Gold. The photo shows Bronze/Gold, which is the softest of the four and suits brick well. Black/Gold is the easiest to read from a passing car. Green/Gold is the one most people picture when they think of an Irish plaque.

Casting and coating

Each Claddagh address plaque is cast in the USA from recycled aluminum, so it won’t rust even in a wet climate. Its all-weather coating comes with a five-year warranty. For cleaning, rinse it and wipe it dry.

The Claddagh shows up on several other pieces too, including a poem plaque, a sundial and two weathervanes in the Irish Collection. For a number sign closer to the road, the lawn address plaques are cast the same way. Before you order, read both lines back carefully, because personalized castings can’t be changed or returned.