Mysterious Crown Jewels (Press, 22 October 1983)

A recent telephone call from an elderly woman to the Dublin police has sparked renewed interest in one of Ireland's most infamous mysteries: the theft of the Irish crown jewels from Dublin Castle in 1907. The jewels, reported to be worth over $4.5 million and encrusted with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, were a gift from William IV of England to the Order of Saint Patrick in 1830. They were stolen on the morning of 6 July 1907, when a safe in a secure tower was discovered open and emptied. Since then, the jewels have never been recovered. The caller claimed that her grandmother had taken her to a location outside Dublin in her childhood and had indicated that the jewels were buried there. After being sworn to secrecy for many years, the woman's father’s recent death prompted her to share this information. While police initially viewed the call sceptically, the national museum found her details compelling enough to conduct a search in the mountains southwest of Dublin using metal-detectors and shovels, but they found nothing. Despite this, the police have committed to continuing the search. The history of the jewels is marred by scandal and intrigue, with connections to the political tensions of the time. The theft occurred just before a planned visit by Edward VII to Ireland, where he would have worn the jewels at ceremonial functions. There has long been speculation that the theft may have been orchestrated by Republican sympathisers aiming to embarrass the British monarchy. Concerns about insider involvement have persisted, particularly regarding three heralds and an assistant who were responsible for the jewels’ security. Sir Arthur Vicars, a key suspect, was rumoured to have been involved in a scandal that might have led to blackmail. The case has an even darker history, as three of the heralds connected to the jewels either died violently or disappeared under suspicious circumstances. In 1914, assistant herald Pierce O’Mahony was found shot beside his boathouse. The following year, Francis Shackleton, brother of the famous Antarctic explorer, vanished after his release from prison for fraud. Sir Arthur Vicars met a gruesome end in 1921 when he was murdered, labelled a spy and informer. The continuing mystery captivates public interest, as questions linger about how such a significant theft could occur undetected in one of the most secure buildings in Ireland. The precise roles and motivations of those involved remain subjects of speculation, contributing to the enduring intrigue of the case more than seventy-six years after the jewels disappeared.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand