Irish Crown Jewels

George III instituted the 'Illustrious Order of St. Patrick' in 1783. The 'Illustrious Order of St. Patrick' was the Irish equivalent of the English Order of the Garter and the Scottish Order of the Thistle[?] (Ireland is now a republic, and no longer recognises the 'Illustrious Order of St. Patrick'). The Irish Crown Jewels were the insignia of the Order, and consisted of two items: a star, and a badge, each composed of rubies, emeralds and Brazilian diamonds.

In 1903, the jewels were transferred to a safe, which was to be placed in the newly constructed strong room. The new safe was too large for the doorway to the strong room, and Arthur Vicars, the Officer of Arms of Dublin Castle, instead stored the jewels in his office. Seven latch keys to the door of the Office of Arms were held by Vicars and his staff, and two keys to the safe containing the insignia were both in the custody of Vicars.

The jewels were discovered missing on 6 July 1907[?], four days before the State Visit of King Edward VII[?] and Queen Alexandra. The theft is reported to have angered the king, who cancelled his visit.

Vicars refused to resign his position as Officer of Arms, and similarly refused to appear at a Viceregal Commission into the theft (the Commission did not possess powers to subpoena witnesses) held from 10 January 1908[?]. Vicars argued for a public royal inquiry in lieu of the commission, and publicly accused his second in command, Francis Shackleton, of the theft. Shackleton was exonerated in the commission's report, and Vicars was found to have "not exercise[d] due vigilance or proper care as the custodian of the regalia'. Vicars met a sad end in disgrace: on 14 April 1921[?] he was shot dead by IRA militia. The commission's report has been the subject of critical review in recent times (see external link, below) and there has been recent calls in Ireland for an centennial enquiry into the crime.

The Irish Crown Jewels have never been recovered.

External Links

• Dublin Castle's commentary on the theft (http://www.dublincastle.ie/history12)

• Analysis of the theft and key suspects. (http://www.homepage.tinet.ie/~seanjmurphy/irhismys/)