Irish outlaw's treasure was never found but here's how to get to his Waterford cave hideout

Waterford's William Crotty stole from the rich and distributed to the poor — he was hanged and had his head cut off but some of his takings were never found

With an unmatched knowledge of the Comeragh Mountains, Crotty was adept at giving his pursuers the slip by hiding near a remote lake, to which he gave his name, and reversing the shoes on his horses to put pursuers off his track. Picture: John G O'Dwyer

Commonly described as the Age of Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland, the 18th century could also be labelled the 'age of the rapparee'. This was the period when an abundance of wealthy British settlers arrived to build palatial mansions, some of which survive to this day.

This new ruling class lacked legitimacy among ordinary people, however, as many of these were Catholics who had been evicted from their land holdings.