Notnem

Many people who live in Ireland didn’t know Ireland had crown jewels. This is partly because Ireland is a democracy with a president as the head of state and partly because the last King of Ireland dates back to the 12^th Century before the British invaded Ireland. The other reason for lack of knowledge about these jewels is because the Jewels were stolen in 1907.

The Irish Crown Jewels are not the Irish equivalent of the English Crown Jewels which are held in the Tower of London, but were the insignia of the Order of St Patrick which was a chivalric order founded by the government in 1783. The Jewels were presented to the Order of St Patrick by King William IV in 1831. It is widely understood that the jewels were made up from diamonds belonging to Queen Charlotte.

In 1905 the Order of St Patrick was revised, and the jewels were to be stored in a safe in Dublin Castle in a newly built strong room. In a very Irish twist, it turned out that the safe that was going to be put in the strong room couldn’t fit through the door. It was decided that Arthur Vicars who was the Officer of Arms of Dublin Castle would keep the jewels in his office. Seven keys to this office were held by various vicars and staff members and a further two to the safe which was now stored in this office.

On July 6 1907 it was discovered that the Irish Crown Jewels were missing, days before King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra were due to visit. An enquiry was held, but didn’t have the power to subpoena people for questioning. Vicars was disgraced and was later shot dead by the IRA in 1921.

In a strange twist, the story doesn’t stop there… While it maybe the case that the jewels were never recovered, they were offered to the Irish Free State in 1927 for £5000. It is very possible that the Then Taoiseach WT Cosgrave bought back the jewels in secret. Extensive searching of the National Archives never revealed anything. To this day we do not know whether the jewels were bought back of where they are.

It turns out that there is a plaque on O’Connell Bridge commemerating Father Pat Noise. Nothing unusual about that, except Father Pat Noise never existed… Peadar Clancey who is said to have been advisor to Fater Pat Noise on the plaque did exist and served during the Easter Rebellion of 1916. The plaque has been in place since 2004 and it wasn’t discovered by Dublin Coprporation until May 2006. The Corpo are now intent on removing it, which at first I thought was a good idea, but now thinking about it, I think it should be left where it is as a comemoration to the Irish wit.

This plaque commemorates Fr. Pat Noise

Advisor to Peadar Clancey.

He died under suspicious circumstances when his carriage plunged

into the Liffey on August 10th 1919.

Erected by the HSTI

I don’t know why this isn’t common knowledge because it is signposted at the start of every bus lane in Dublin. If you read the signs, you can drive in bus lanes during certain times of the day, usually between 1000 and 1200 and on Sundays and Bank Holidays. It never ceases to amaze me that so many people don’t know about this and instead queue up in the regular traffic lane. Maybe they can’t read the signs because they are too small, but if you can read a road sign you either need glasses or should be driving.

While I am on the subject of bus lanes and general traffic management in Dublin, I generally think bus lanes are a good idea, and people who are prepared to use public transport should get to work quicker than those who want to drive. The only problem I have with some bus lanes is the 24 hour bus lanes, and considering that we do not have a 24 hour bus service, or any plans to have one, it doesn’t make sense to me

Anyway, just my 2 cents on the subject…

I did my NCT (National Car Test) today. It is supposed to be done every 2 years on cars that are 2 years or older. My car being 12 years old, has been threw quite a few tests in its time. Let me just say that I am in favour of the NCT. It means that the cars on our roads have some sort of safety standard and hopefully it saves lives.

Last time I brought the car to be tested, it failed on its number plate… yes you read that correctly. As it transpired, I had Dublin on my number plate onsted of Bhaile Atha Cliath. Thank God it was caught as unchecked I would have been both a major safety risk on the road and also a determent to our national language. I can assure all of you reading here today, that the number plate issue has been sorted for once and for all and I look back on those days with an illegal number plate in shame.

Today, I got to say I was worried that the car wouldn’t get through without major work. I had recently (well my sis) put in a new windscreen which was not cheep. The car had been serviced in December and I had checked the oil, water levels and the tyres. Unfortunately, I am again a major risk to all of you other drivers sitting on the M50… I failed again. This time, my battery had not got an additional battery security hold it in the same place thingy…

Rest assured road users, I will have this sorted in the very near future so that I can once again drive without being a safety risk.

This is hilarious… Got the link for this From Geared Up Blog. Below is a great sample which was submited by Trash Ninja to the same forum…

Gracepark Manor

This is where I live…