On This Day / April 17, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19210417
Reference Date
19210417
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 17th April 1921, the Irish Crown Jewels theft was recalled following Sir Arthur Vicars’ murder and Specials arrested armed men in Dunmurry. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
‘Jewels’ Theft Recalled | On This Day – 17th April 1921
THE fate of Sir Arthur Vicars recalls the theft of the ‘Crown Jewels’ from Dublin Castle on July 6,1907.
This ranks as one of the most amazing robberies in history.
The jewels and regalia were unique in character and, of course, no thief could dispose of them in the form in which they were at that time.
The jewels included: The Diamond Star of the Grand Master of the Order of St Patrick, valued at £30,000; the Diamond Badge of the Order, valued at £16,000 and Five Collars of Knight Companions of the Order, valued at £1,000.
The jewels were kept in a safe in the library of the Office at Arms. The building was also a strong-room.
After the officials had left, a detective made a round of the rooms each night and there were also guards in the Courtyard outside.
On July 6 1907, a charwoman found the strong-room door open.
This was reported to Sir Arthur Vicars but no action was taken.
Three days later the strong-room door was found open. It was then found that the contents had been removed.
The general conclusion was that the robbery took place on the night of July 5,1907.
When he was deprived of his office, Sir Arthur Vicars issued a strong protest against the treatment meted out to him and declared that no charges had been formulated against him.
The remains of Sir Arthur Vicars were removed from Kilmoma yesterday and deposited in Listowel Protestant Church from where they will be conveyed to Cheltenham for burial.
Specials Capture Armed Men
SPECIAL Constables at Dunmurry arrested eight armed men last night between 9.30 and ten o’clock.
It appears that a couple of scouts attached to the Special Constabulary observed two parties, consisting of four men each, acting in a suspicious manner.
One party went towards the Lisburn Road and the other towards Blacks Road.
Information was conveyed to the police barracks at Dunmurry and two parties of Special Constabulary turned out.
Coming up behind one party on the Lisburn Road, the Specials called upon them to halt.
The men did so and were arrested and taken to the barracks. In the meantime the other party was captured on Black’s Road.
When searched eight revolvers and a wire-cutter were found in their possession.
The captives include John O’Leary, Hamilton Street; Thomas Reid, Grace Street and Michael Leonard, Little May Street.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: The theft of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907 remains an unsolved crime.
The inquiry was reputedly hampered by links between Vicars’ staff and the royal court of Edward VII. The jewels were never recovered.)
On This Day – 17th April 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210417
Reference Date
19210417
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 17th April 1921, the Irish Crown Jewels theft was recalled following Sir Arthur Vicars’ murder and Specials arrested armed men in Dunmurry. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
‘Jewels’ Theft Recalled | On This Day – 17th April 1921
THE fate of Sir Arthur Vicars recalls the theft of the ‘Crown Jewels’ from Dublin Castle on July 6,1907.
This ranks as one of the most amazing robberies in history.
The jewels and regalia were unique in character and, of course, no thief could dispose of them in the form in which they were at that time.
The jewels included: The Diamond Star of the Grand Master of the Order of St Patrick, valued at £30,000; the Diamond Badge of the Order, valued at £16,000 and Five Collars of Knight Companions of the Order, valued at £1,000.
The jewels were kept in a safe in the library of the Office at Arms. The building was also a strong-room.
After the officials had left, a detective made a round of the rooms each night and there were also guards in the Courtyard outside.
On July 6 1907, a charwoman found the strong-room door open.
This was reported to Sir Arthur Vicars but no action was taken.
Three days later the strong-room door was found open. It was then found that the contents had been removed.
The general conclusion was that the robbery took place on the night of July 5,1907.
When he was deprived of his office, Sir Arthur Vicars issued a strong protest against the treatment meted out to him and declared that no charges had been formulated against him.
The remains of Sir Arthur Vicars were removed from Kilmoma yesterday and deposited in Listowel Protestant Church from where they will be conveyed to Cheltenham for burial.
Specials Capture Armed Men
SPECIAL Constables at Dunmurry arrested eight armed men last night between 9.30 and ten o’clock.
It appears that a couple of scouts attached to the Special Constabulary observed two parties, consisting of four men each, acting in a suspicious manner.
One party went towards the Lisburn Road and the other towards Blacks Road.
Information was conveyed to the police barracks at Dunmurry and two parties of Special Constabulary turned out.
Coming up behind one party on the Lisburn Road, the Specials called upon them to halt.
The men did so and were arrested and taken to the barracks. In the meantime the other party was captured on Black’s Road.
When searched eight revolvers and a wire-cutter were found in their possession.
The captives include John O’Leary, Hamilton Street; Thomas Reid, Grace Street and Michael Leonard, Little May Street.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: The theft of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907 remains an unsolved crime.
The inquiry was reputedly hampered by links between Vicars’ staff and the royal court of Edward VII. The jewels were never recovered.)
On This Day – 17th April 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19210417
Reference Date
April 17, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 17th April 1921, the Irish Crown Jewels theft was recalled following Sir Arthur Vicars’ murder and Specials arrested armed men in Dunmurry. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
‘Jewels’ Theft Recalled | On This Day – 17th April 1921
THE fate of Sir Arthur Vicars recalls the theft of the ‘Crown Jewels’ from Dublin Castle on July 6,1907.
This ranks as one of the most amazing robberies in history.
The jewels and regalia were unique in character and, of course, no thief could dispose of them in the form in which they were at that time.
The jewels included: The Diamond Star of the Grand Master of the Order of St Patrick, valued at £30,000; the Diamond Badge of the Order, valued at £16,000 and Five Collars of Knight Companions of the Order, valued at £1,000.
The jewels were kept in a safe in the library of the Office at Arms. The building was also a strong-room.
After the officials had left, a detective made a round of the rooms each night and there were also guards in the Courtyard outside.
On July 6 1907, a charwoman found the strong-room door open.
This was reported to Sir Arthur Vicars but no action was taken.
Three days later the strong-room door was found open. It was then found that the contents had been removed.
The general conclusion was that the robbery took place on the night of July 5,1907.
When he was deprived of his office, Sir Arthur Vicars issued a strong protest against the treatment meted out to him and declared that no charges had been formulated against him.
The remains of Sir Arthur Vicars were removed from Kilmoma yesterday and deposited in Listowel Protestant Church from where they will be conveyed to Cheltenham for burial.
Specials Capture Armed Men
SPECIAL Constables at Dunmurry arrested eight armed men last night between 9.30 and ten o’clock.
It appears that a couple of scouts attached to the Special Constabulary observed two parties, consisting of four men each, acting in a suspicious manner.
One party went towards the Lisburn Road and the other towards Blacks Road.
Information was conveyed to the police barracks at Dunmurry and two parties of Special Constabulary turned out.
Coming up behind one party on the Lisburn Road, the Specials called upon them to halt.
The men did so and were arrested and taken to the barracks. In the meantime the other party was captured on Black’s Road.
When searched eight revolvers and a wire-cutter were found in their possession.
The captives include John O’Leary, Hamilton Street; Thomas Reid, Grace Street and Michael Leonard, Little May Street.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: The theft of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907 remains an unsolved crime.
The inquiry was reputedly hampered by links between Vicars’ staff and the royal court of Edward VII. The jewels were never recovered.)
On This Day – 17th April 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.