The Irish Crown Jewels

Many people who live in Ireland did not know Irelanddecided that Arthur Vicars who was the Officer of
had crown jewels. This is partly because Ireland is aArms of Dublin Castle would keep the jewels in his
democracy with a president as the head of state andoffice. Seven keys to this office were held by various
partly because the last King of Ireland dates back tovicars and staff members and a further two to the
the 12th Century before the British invaded Ireland. Thesafe which was now stored in this office.
other reason for lack of knowledge about theseOn July 6 1907 it was discovered that the Irish Crown
jewels is because the Jewels were stolen in 1907.Jewels were missing, days before King Edward VII
The Irish Crown Jewels are not the Irish equivalent ofand Queen Alexandra were due to visit. An enquiry
the English Crown Jewels which are held in the Towerwas held, but didn't have the power to subpoena
of London, but were the insignia of the Order of Stpeople for questioning. Vicars was disgraced and was
Patrick which was a chivalric order founded by thelater shot dead by the IRA in 1921.
government in 1783. The Jewels were presented toIn a strange twist, the story doesn't stop there... While it
the Order of St Patrick by King William IV in 1831. It ismaybe the case that the jewels were never
widely understood that the jewels were made up fromrecovered, they were offered to the Irish Free State in
diamonds belonging to Queen Charlotte.1927 for £5000. It is very possible that the Then
In 1905 the Order of St Patrick was revised, and theTaoiseach WT Cosgrave bought back the jewels in
jewels were to be stored in a safe in Dublin Castle in asecret. Extensive searching of the National Archives
newly built strong room. In a very Irish twist, it turnednever revealed anything. To this day we do not know
out that the safe that was going to be put in thewhether the jewels were bought back of where they
strong room couldn't fit through the door. It wasare.