There was indeed an abortive French invasion of Ireland in '96 and they tried again in about 1802 I think.

I started naval historical fiction with Alexander Kent's (aka Douglas Reeman) Richard Bolitho books and still find them quite exciting if a little samey - there are only so many ways to have a battle and when you have three or four in each book...... Patrick O'Brian's Stephen Aubrey books (modelled, I believe on Lord Cochrane) have a lot more of the background politcal & romantic stuff and seem to be more highly thought of - but I sometimes find them a bit tedious.

I've only read a few Hornblower stories - perhaps I should read 'em all - but I don't think the TV films have done them justice. Granted, it's difficult to get all the details right, but it makes it hard to take it seriously when the sails are braced for a wind from the port beam and the smoke's drifting the other way! The acting was a bit variable too, I thought: Edward Pellew (played by the actor whose name I can't remember but I can't help thinking of as 'Wolfie') had a couple of brilliant scenes but fell apart at times. I think they had only one ship to do all the scenes - there aren't that many about - and some scenes were very obviously a model in a tank. Worth watching, nevertheless and I didn't realise that it was on on Tuesday as well - I was at Liverpool Folk Club.

Apparently there's a film of one (or more) of the Jack Aubrey books coming out this year. Someone called Russell Crowe as Aubrey.

Steve