The 'Irish Crown Jewels' - the regalia or insignia of the Order of St Patrick, a chivalric order founded by the government in 1783 - mysteriously disappeared on or before 6th July 1907, as King Edward VII was on the point of visiting Ireland to invest a knight of the Order of St Patrick. The task entrusted to the Vice-Regal Commission appointed by the Lord Lieutenant-General and General Governor of Ireland was not to conduct a criminal investigation but to determine whether Sir Arthur Vicars, the Ulster King of Arms (the state heraldic and genealogical officer in charge of the Of ce of Arms in Dublin Castle) had 'exercised due vigilance and proper care' as the custodian of the star and badge. The report of the Vice-Regal Commission and Sir Arthur Vicars' statements to the police are reproduced here in full.

In 1907, coinciding with the visit of Edward VII to Ireland, an extraordinary discovery was made--the Irish Crown jewels had disappeared from Dublin Castle. Scotland Yard uncovered a complicated web of mystery, intrigue and scandal. The custodian of the jewels, Sir Arthur Vicars and his staff, including his co-tenant Frank Shackleton, brother of the explorer, came under intense scrutiny. The investigation revealed the existence of a homosexual circle within the Castle, including Vicars himself, Shackleton, Lord Haddo--the sun of the Kind's Viceroy in Ireland--and the King's brother-in-law, the Duke of Argyll. A spectacular Irish burglary suddenly threatened to become an international scandal...

In a stunning follow-up to the acclaimed In the Company of Sherlock Holmes, Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger present a brand-new anthology of stories inspired by the Arthur Conan Doyle canon. Echoes of Sherlock Holmes puts forth the question: What happens when great writers/creators who are not known as Sherlock Holmes devotees admit to being inspired by Conan Doyle stories? While some of these talented authors are highly-regarded mystery writers, others are best known for their work in the fields of fantasy or science fiction. All of them, however, share a great admiration for Arthur Conan Doyle and his greatest creations, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Some stories tell of Holmes himself (in Victorian Baker Street or modern New York, in various guises or a different gender), while others explore various Conan Doyle characters. Although not a formal collection of new Holmes stories (though some do fit that mold), these tales are inspired by the Conan Doyle canon. The results are breathtaking—for long-time fans of Holmes and Watson, for readers new to Doyle’s writing, and for all readers who love exceptional storytelling. Featuring stories by Tasha Alexander, Cory Doctorow, Hallie Ephron, Meg Gardiner, William Kent Krueger, Jonathan Maberry, Catriona McPherson, David Morrell, Anne Perry, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and more.

Mac B. is back... and this time, a new enemy is after the Crown Jewels! Will Mac solve this locked-room mystery in time? The Crown Jewels are in danger... again! When the jewels go missing from inside a locked room, Mac's spy skills are put to the test. How did the thief break in? Where did the jewels go? And will Mac be able to solve this locked room mystery before the thief escapes? This mystery isn't just a whodunit... it's a howdunit!The action in this new adventure is nonstop, as Mac travels to an ancient Irish castle to solve the mystery. There, he encounters everything from killer king cobras to bizarre ice sculptures... and even a revenge plot dating back hundreds of years! Will you be able to solve the mystery before Mac does? Also features historical facts masterfully woven throughout the plot, and full-color illustrations on every page. Don't miss the newest installment of this totally smart and sidesplittingly funny new series, Mac B., Kid Spy.

Here is the full story of the Irish immigrants and their decedents whose hard work helped make the West what it is today. Learn about the Irish members of the Donner party, forced to consume human flesh to survive the winter; mountain men like Thomas Fitzpatrick, who discovered the South Pass through the Rockies; Ellen “Nellie” Cashman, who ran boarding houses and bought and sold claims in Alaska, Arizona, and Nevada; and Maggie Hall, who became known as the “whore with a heart of gold.” A fascinating and entertaining look at the history of the American West, this book will surprise many and make every Irish American proud.

In the reign of King Charles II (1660--1685), there was a famous attempt to steal the crown jewels by the memorably named Colonel Blood. However, Blood's conspiracy was not the first such plot, and it was certainly not the most successful. Three centuries earlier, in 1303, Edward I of England (of Braveheart fame) was north of the Scottish border attempting to crush William Wallace, secure in the knowledge that he had stashed his royal treasures safely behind iron-bound doors in Westminster Abbey -- a place of sanctity reputed to house Christ's body, and inhabited by pious Benedictine monks. Enter Richard Puddlicott: a former merchant and a charming, dissolute, rogue with a grudge against the king. He infiltrated the Abbey's inner circle (entertaining them on the proceeds of their own silver) and, before long, had managed to help himself to a good part of the treasure. The King's fury knew no bounds, but Puddlicott ran the King's men a merry dance before eventually being captured and sent -- along with forty monks -- to his death in Westminster. This exhilarating tale of cunning, deceit, lechery, monks, pimps and prostitutes tells the story of the first great bank raid in history. Until now -- with most of the evidence still in manuscripts, in Latin or Norman French -- very little has been written about it. With his usual verve, blending vivid narrative and historical analysis, Paul Doherty takes the lid off both the medieval underworld and the 'holy' monastic community. The result is historically enlightening and a gripping read.

This pioneering study, first published in 1995, retains its rank as one of the most powerful histories ever written about Irish involvement in World War 1. This year, the centenary of the war, sees its timely re-publication as the Irishmen who fought in that war re-enter the national memory after decades of indifference and hostility. The gradual softening of attitudes over the last twenty years amid great historic change on the island of Ireland, is due in no small part to the efforts of historians, such as Myles Dungan, to tell thousands of forgotten stories. Drawing on the diaries, letters, literary works and oral accounts of soldiers, Myles Dungan tells some of the personal stories of what Irishmen, unionist and nationalist, went through during the Great War and how many of them drew closer together during that horror than at any time since. This volume deals with a selection of the most important battles and campaigns in which the three Irish Divisions participated.