The Year of the French was a television serial, directed by Michael Garvey and based on the novel by Thomas Flanagan, which was first broadcast in 1982.
[3] The title refers to the year 1798 when French troops sailed to Ireland to support Irish rebels against the British forces under Lord Cornwallis.
[4] To accompany the series Paddy Moloney composed and arranged music which was performed by The Chieftains with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, conducted by Proinnsias O'Duinn, and with Ruairi Somers on bagpipes.
Historian Guy Beiner has shown that the filming of the series on location in Killala, County Mayo made an impact on local folklore and regenerated oral traditions of Bliain na bhFrancach (the Irish language term for The Year of the French, which was commonly used to refer to memories of the French invasion and local rebellion in 1798).
[5] Battle scenes were filmed on location in Killala in 1981, about one hundred members of the Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil transported from Castlebar Military Barracks over a period of nearly two weeks to play roles of French, English and Scottish soldiers as well as Irish peasants.