The Ulster Museum - Object Of The Month

No Tengo Ring

February

The No Tengo Ring

In the autumn of 1588, following the failure of Spain's Armada to invade England, the surviving ships of the fleet attempted to return home via the north of Scotland and west of Ireland. Already damaged in battle, the ships were driven off course by violent storms and over twenty were wrecked along the north and west coasts of Ireland, including the galleass Girona. Four centuries later, artefacts from the galleass were excavated and the collection was acquired by the Ulster Museum in 1972.

Among the sumptuous collection of Renaissance jewellery recovered were twelve gold rings. The personal and sentimental nature of some of the jewellery is revealed in particular by the No Tengo ring. It is a particularly touching memento. No one knows the identity of the owner of this little gold ring of a hand holding a heart, but it bears the inscription "No tengo mas que dar te" - I have nothing more to give thee.

It may have been the farewell present from a lady to her departing lover and is one of the most poignant and personal artefacts recovered, reminding us of the innumerable personal tragedies involved.

The Girona, one of four galleasses of the Naples squadron, was designed to hold 550 men, but had picked up survivors from other wrecked ships. When she was dashed to pieces off Lacada Point on the north Antrim coast, the Girona was carrying about 1,300 men. Only five survived.

Gold of the Girona (Factsheet)

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