‘Close enough to toss a ship’s biscuit ashore’—the French fleet at Bantry Bay, 1796

IN 1796 A LARGE FRENCH INVASION FLEET SLIPPED PAST THE ROYAL NAVY AND MOORED OFF THE SOUTH-WEST COAST OF IRELAND AT BANTRY BAY. BATTERED BY STORMS, THE FRENCH TROOPS WERE UNABLE TO LAND AND RETURNED TO FRANCE. ‘WE WERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOSS A SHIP’S BISCUIT ASHORE’, WROTE WOLFE TONE BITTERLY IN HIS DIARY OF ... Read more

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