My first book, An Irish Mystery, centers on the legendary Irish Crown Jewels.
As soon as I mention them, the reaction is always the same: a puzzled look and the inevitable question, “How’s that? Ireland doesn’t have a monarchy.”
That question is the exact reason I knew this story needed to be told. The Irish Crown Jewels were not crowns or orbs in the traditional sense; they were ceremonial insignia—a spectacular treasure that vanished, leaving behind a century of unsolved questions.
But to truly understand the Irish mystery, we first need to appreciate the true scale of what "Crown Jewels" usually means.
👑 The Royal Jewels You Think You Know
When we think of crown jewels, we picture the magnificent British collection, which is far more vast than most people realize. It’s not just a crown and a scepter—it’s a collection centuries old, with more stories than most things in the world.
Did you know the English collection contains:
- Two Primary Crowns: St. Edward’s Crown (the centrepiece, placed on the monarch's head at the moment of crowning) and the much lighter Imperial State Crown (worn when leaving Westminster Abbey and at the State Opening of Parliament).
- Consort Crowns: Wives of kings have traditionally had custom-made crowns. Queen Camilla, for instance, wore Queen Mary’s crown at the coronation of King Charles III.
- Unique Items: The collection includes the Imperial Crown of India (never intended to leave the UK), the ceremonial Swords of State (reflecting the monarch's role as Head of the Armed Forces), and even the Coronation Spoon used during the anointing.
This vast, heavy, and historically layered collection defines what people expect when they hear the term "Crown Jewels."
🍀So, What Were the Irish Crown Jewels?
The Irish jewels were ceremonial pieces created for the Order of St. Patrick, an honor established by King George III in 1783. They were the glittering, precious insignia of the Grand Master.
The most valuable pieces were:
- The Diamond Star of the Grand Master: An eight-pointed star composed of Brazilian diamonds, featuring a ruby cross and a trefoil of emeralds. Valued around £1.87 million in today’s money.
- The Diamond Badge of the Grand Master: An elaborate diamond-encrusted pendant topped by a crowned harp. Valued around £2.14 million today.
Along with the collars of five knights of the Order, these jewels were stolen from Dublin Castle in 1907. The theft remains unsolved, the items unrecovered.
(In my book, I focused on the Star and the Badge, which were the main prize. The fate of the less opulent collars is just one of the many lingering unknowns in this case!)
🥷The Theft: A Scandal Drenched in Whiskey and Deceit
Unlike a slick, modern heist (like the recent, daring Louvre robbery, where jewels were stolen in broad daylight!), the Irish Crown Jewels vanished under circumstances that were far more scandalous than cinematic.
The key theories that inspired the layers of my novel include:
1. The "Shackleton-Gorges" Inside Job
The prime suspect is Francis (Frank) Shackleton (brother of the famous explorer, Ernest Shackleton). The theory suggests Shackleton and his associate, Captain Richard Gorges, plied the custodian, Sir Arthur Vicars, with whiskey, then either stole his keys or used them to access the safe. Shackleton, despite being out of the country when the theft was discovered, is widely believed to have masterminded the plot to pay off his massive debts.
2. The Dublin Castle Cover-Up
This is perhaps the most compelling theory. It’s believed that the investigation was deliberately suppressed by King Edward VII to avoid a massive social scandal. The inquiry reportedly uncovered a "ring of debauchery" involving high-ranking officials. Key suspects like Shackleton were allegedly shielded because their prosecution might have exposed powerful men, potentially even the King’s brother-in-law.
3. A Symbolic Political Plot
Other theories suggest a political motive: either a Unionist Sabotage to embarrass the British government, or a Nationalist Fundraiser to fuel anti-colonial movements like the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB).
🔗 The Missing Link
Most historians agree the jewels were likely broken up and sold piece-by-piece shortly after the theft, probably in Amsterdam, to make them untraceable. But the true circumstances—and the identities of the thieves—remain open for debate.
And that’s where the story of An Irish Mystery begins. The lack of concrete answers and the deep political and social scandal surrounding the real-life theft gave me the perfect foundation to craft a compelling, historically-rooted thriller.
Have a theory of your own? Let me know in the comments!
✒️ Author Life Snapshot: The Journey So Far
I’m continually amazed and thankful for the support An Irish Mystery has received since launch! To date, the book has achieved a total of 189 downloads/sales, a milestone that completely validates the hours spent researching heists and debating the fate of collars. Knowing that thousands of you are connecting with the mystery of the missing jewels is the best reward an indie author could ask for. Keep an eye out for a separate post soon with more in-depth data and lessons learned from the first few months of sales!
📚 What Am I Reading Now?
I am currently immersed in Stone of Fire by J.F. Penn. The premise is fantastic: a quest to find 12 ancient stones before a fanatical enemy can use their power for dark purposes. It has been a genuinely good read so far, although I haven't had as much time as I'd like recently to give it my full attention. I'm currently 24% of the way through, and the tension has just started to ramp up—I can't wait to see where it goes next!
🎁 December Promotions: Grab An Irish Mystery For Free
You can get my book for free on both BookFunnel and the Smashwords End of Season Sale. Both promotions run all month long!
You'll find loads of other great books alongside mine, so you can easily load up your e-reader for the holidays.
- BookFunnel Promo: "Free Tickets to Mystery & Adventure!"
- Find my book and 104 others available for free download (totaling 105 books in the promo).
- Link: [https://books.bookfunnel.com/thecountdowntoexcitementstartsnow/rloq3hpfgf]
- Smashwords End of Season Sale:
- Smashwords has many free books (including An Irish Mystery for the rest of this month) and books reduced from 25% to 75%.
- Link: [https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1864930]
About Me:
Hello and welcome to Swmming Upstream the home of my blogs. I am D.C. Salmon and I write pulse-pounding adventure thrillers that blend real-life unsolved mysteries with modern-day action.
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