The Great Irish Crown Jewels Heist: An Unsolved Mystery
In 1907, Ireland’s ‘Crown Jewels’ vanished from Dublin Castle, four days before they were to be used during a state visit by King Edward VII. Public domain image of the jewels from the police reward notice More than a century later, the mystery behind their disappearance remains unsolved, at least officially. However suspicion continues to linger around Francis Shackleton, younger brother of the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton . Did he pull off a heist under the nose of his colleague, friend and sometime housemate Sir Arthur Vicars? Sir Arthur was the Ulster King of Arms, or senior herald, responsible for the safe-keeping of the jewels and who was disgraced by their disappearance. But why, more than 110 years later, are we still fascinated by this crime? Simply put, if these treasures still exist today, they would be worth millions. So, what are the Irish Crown Jewels? Officially called the Jewels of the Order of St Patrick, the Irish Crown Jewels w...