Do Emeralds Come from Ireland?

with Shirley Raye Redmond

It’s Fun Friday, and it’s St. Patrick’s Day too.

More than once I’ve heard people ask if Ireland is called the Emerald Isle because that gemstone can be found there. So I checked into it. No, emeralds are not mined in Ireland, which earned the nickname because of its lush green fields.

Actually, the world’s best emeralds are mined in Colombia in South America. I wouldn’t have guessed that. So I did a little homework and put together a gem of a quiz for you to enjoy. The answers are at the bottom.

Have fun!

1. In 1934, a diver wrested a 14-pound pearl from a giant clam. Where was this record-breaking “Pearl of Lao Tzu” discovered?
2. The “Star of India” is a legendary blue sapphire now on display at the American Natural History Museum in New York. Where was the gemstone discovered?
3. The Crimson Star is a famous ruby and part of the King Louis XV gem collection. Where was it mined?
   
   
4. What pale green stone is sometimes called “Pele’s Tears” or “Cleopatra’s emeralds?”
5. In 1946 a large gemstone was stolen from Cuba’s capitol, where it was embedded in the marble floor as part of an eight-pointed star. What kind of gemstone was it?

An award-winning writer and frequent conference speaker, Shirley Raye Redmond is the author of three inspirational novels, PRUDENCE PURSUED, VIPER’S NEST, and AMANDA’S BEAU, as well as two dozen children’s books, including LEWIS & CLARK: A PRAIRIE DOG FOR THE PRESIDENT (Random House), which was a Children’s Book of the Month Club selection. Shirley Raye holds an M.A. in literature and teaches through the Institute of Children’s Literature. She has been married to her husband Bill for over forty years. They live in New Mexico and are blessed with two grown children and three adorable grandchildren. Touch bases at shirleyrayeredmond.com or Facebook.


ANSWERS:
(1) The Philippines
(2) Sri Lanka
(3) The Siberian region of Russia
(4) Peridot
(5) A yellow diamond