This one here, you see, is a Badbh ring. Silver. You also had Macha rings, in gold. And Neimhann rings in bronze. It was a tradition to give one to a young man or woman embarking on a new career. The Badbh rings were usually given to people entering into higher education or, say, a young woman becoming a schoolteacher. Anything to do with the written word, really. She represents the bards, you see. The Badbh. Macha was the goddess of the king, so Macha rings were given to those entering the civil service.” “And the bronze rings?” “Neimhann. Neimhann represented the druids. The priestly class.
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