Druids, Bards, and Lawyers

One of the interesting things about ancient Ireland is how much energy the Irish elite devoted to intellectual pursuits. Their laws recognized several classes of people as nemed, or sacred, meaning that they were exempt from taxes and military service. The most noble of the nemed groups were the druids, the bards, and the experts in the law. (After Christianity, the groups were the bards, the lawyers, and members of the church.) Those at the top of these professions were legally equal to kings, having the same "honor price," and the stories show us that they indeed interacted with kings and war leaders on equal terms. All had to spend years of study in specialized schools, or at the feet of old masters, before they could practice their crafts.

The Irish were hardly unique among tribal societies in making these investments in intellectual life. Many ancient peoples gave great honor to their shamans, astrologers, poets, historians, and artists. Human life has never been just about survival. I find the Irish emphasis on these things to be more than usual, however, and I wonder if the great artistic and intellectual output of modern Ireland is related to the ancient preferences of people who have always loved beauty and tradition as much as others have loved money and power.