Bernard O'Shea: Five things I learned about Taylor Swift’s engagement

Taylor Swift’s million-dollar ring may move markets, but in Ireland love is still measured in envelopes and gossip.

Travis Kelce with Taylor Swift. Picture: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

1. The ring could buy a few houses

When the news broke that Taylor Swift was engaged to Travis Kelce, I didn’t sigh romantically or think about love’s triumph. No. The first thing I did, like any middle-aged Irishman, was Google the cost of the ring. Estimates varied: $550,000 (€472,000), $650,000 (€558,000), maybe even $1m (€850,000), depending on which jeweller you asked. One brave soul suggested $5m (€4.29m), but even I, a man who once paid €22 for a sandwich in Dublin Airport, found that hard to believe. Let’s stick with $1m.