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The Croppies Acre Traditional Cache

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Kili or bust: Decided to let this one go!

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Hidden : 8/7/2005
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Cache information: The cache is in a small cylinder with black tape and its low and clingy. The coordinates are affected somewhat by large trees so it may be necessary to read the hint or look at the spoiler photos. It is not absolutely necessary to gain entrance to the Croppy Park.

The Croppy Park This is a very peasant and very small park with a nice water feature and close to the Luas line, Heuston station (a fabulous building and a landmark in its own right) and the river Liffey. The now infamous "Floosy in the Jacuzzi" a reclining water nymph which up to recently held pride of place in Dublin's premier street, O'Connell Street, is said to be bound for this little park in due course. Floosie was replaced by the equally "eccentric" Dublin Spike and currently resides in St Annes Park in Raheny. Parkgate street, next to this little park, has the unique distinction of being the only street on the north side of the Liffey with a postal code that is even. Collins Barracks, now a museum, is very close to this park also.

THE CROPPIES ACRE

The true area associated with this name is about 100 metres along the quays towards the city centre. It is an unhappy reminder of some of the tragic history of this country. Many of the freedom fighters of 1798 that were hanged from various bridges along the river were dumped in what became known as "The Croppie Grave". It was a large hole now surrounded by railings as part of the Collins Barracks Museum and currently closed to the public. After capture the prisoners hair was cropped, a practice which gave the place its name. Many of those buried here were put to death on the word of dubious "gentlemen" and "spies" during the attempt by French forces to assist the Irish rebels to oust the English from the country. After the failed attempt, the French were treated royally and transported to Liverpool and then on to France while the Irish peasants involved were rounded up and put to death. One of the saddest parts of this story is that any kind of suspicion of involvement or peripheral activity resulted in the same fate. It is thought that more than 300 were buried here and the names of only a handful remain for posterity to ponder. On the site of the Croppies Acre, Soyer's Soup kitchen was opened in 1847 during the worst of the Famine (1845-1847). It was a wooden shack with a door at either end into which 100 impoverished and starving peasants were shunted at a time. Bowls and spoons were chained to the floor and each was given a ration then shunted out. The bowls were quickly rinsed and the next 100 brought in. It is believed that up to 10,000 people per day were kept from starvation in this way.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Nfuyvat ragenapr, pebff ebnq gb envyvat nathyne fhccbeg, 2 evtug.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)