IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY, YOU'RE SURE OF A BIG SURPRISE…
IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY, YOU'D BETTER GO IN DISGUISE
FOR EVERY CACHER THAT EVER THERE WAS, WILL GATHER THERE FOR SEARCHING'
BECAUSE TODAY'S THE DAY THE CACHERS LOOK FOR A MISSING DROID
IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY...
USE THE FORCE AND YOU WILL BE OK
YOU WILL PASS AN ANCIENT TOMB
LOOK UP INTO THE TWINING TREE AND YOU WILL FIND ME SOON
The TRAIL BLAZERS invites every cacher that ever there was to gather here and explore the colourful and curious Massey's Woods. Beneath the trees where nobody sees, a series of caches awaits. There’s lots of marvelous things to see and wonderful games to play. Bring your Teddy, Picnic, Waterproof Hiking Boots and play Hide and Seek for as long as you please.
The trail starts inside the barrier entrance to Massey's Estate, which is located just 50 meters below the Hell Fire Car Park, on the opposite site of the road. The trail runs alongside the gurgling banks of the Owendoher River. A network of meandering paths allows visitors to explore their surroundings along its leafy paths.
HISTORY
The wood has an interesting past historically. The vast Kilakee mansion, which was built by Luke White in 1806, once stood in the woodland and was the centre of a 3,000 acre estate. In 1854 the Kilakee estate was inherited by John Massey, the 6th Baron. The Massey family sold off most of their estate in the Land Acts of the late 19th century and then squandered the proceeds. The banks took possession of Kilakee house. In 1941 the slates roof timbers and floors were removed and sold for salvage and the remaining structure was demolished.
If you go down to the woods today you’ll see evidence all-around of its history. Sir Ninian Niven, whom had previously been a director of the Botanic Gardens in Dublin, laid out two Victorian formal gardens with gravel walks, terraces and exotic trees, these were reported to have been lavishly decorated with statues of Greek and Roman gods. Remains of the lavish abandoned walled garden, enormous greenhouse, stone bridges and other relics of the estate can still be seen in the woodland park. Additionally there is a disused, ice-house, which was once used to store lamb. There are also numerous points of historical importance, including a ruined Bronze Age tomb.
The Massy (de Massey) lineage can be traced to Normandy where they were landowners in the ninth century. According to Frank Tracy’s book "If Those Trees Could Speak", the estate collapsed due to the extravagant lifestyle of the sixth Baron Massy. In 1924 Hamon Massy, who had a serious drinking problem, was evicted from Killakee House and deposited by the road on his mattress, much to the amusement of the locals. The Massey’s initially moved into the Stewards House, which can be seen across the road from the entrance, Later on this house was renamed Kilakee House. Hugh became known as the “Penniless Peer”, and was said to have been seen collecting firewood in the woods of his former family estate until his death in 1958.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEARBY MEGALITHIC TOMB
Wedge tombs are the most common megalithic tombs in the Irish countryside with more than four hundred such tombs listed by archaeologists to date. Wedge tombs are most easily catagorised by their main characteristic - they are taller and wider at the entrance than they are at the rear. Additionally the side walls are, uniquely, made of two rows of stones (three in some cases), which is referred to as double or triple walling. This double walling is perhaps the best feature to identify a wedge tomb by. Wedge tombs were previously called gallery graves. They date from the later end of the Neolithic period in Ireland right through to the Bronze Age with some dates showing them to be between 3000 and 4000 years old.
This small Megalithic Wedge Tomb has many of the granite stones are in place, however it is thought that some of the cairn materials and roofing slabs were removed to build up the stone wall which runs along the western edge of the monument. The monument has an irregular low mound. There are a number of standing slabs. The chamber lies east to west with an entrance to the west. On the western façade and entrance only three slabs can be seen. One of these stones formed the Northern jamb of the entrance . A jamb is a stone usually found on either side of a burial chamber forming a door way or sub-chamber. The position of the chamber is defined by 7 of the side stones and the eastern end stone. Parallel to the sides of the chamber are the remains of a double revetment ( or stone wall designed to hold an earth rampart) of upright slabs of which 17 survive, nine on the north and seven on the south with an extra large slab at the east end.
This series of caches was placed in Massey's Woods with the understanding that all participants will follow Coillte's "Leave No Trace" policy.
The principles are:
Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave what you Find
Minimise Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of other users
Please Note:
Those leaving their car in the Hell Fire Club Car Park should note that it has limited opening hours and should check the posted notice before leaving the car. A barrier system is in operation. At the time of publication, the following opening and closing times applied:
April to September: 7:00am to 9:00pm
October to March: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Please note: In order to claim the find you must sign your name on the log.
Happy hunting