However, in 18th century Ireland the dating agency for rich aristocrats was known as the Abduction Club - the swashbuckling answer to Dateline.

With wealth and title destined to go to their older brothers, the younger sons of wealthy Irish families were left virtually penniless.

To secure their financial futures, these young gentlemen formed societies, where they would steal away young heiresses for one night to charm them into marriage.

Byrne (Lapaine) and Strang (Rhys) are two such suitors and they have targeted the Kennedy sisters Catherine and Anne (Evans and Myles), who stand to inherit the wealthy Glasscrossan estate.

However, when they take them back to their lair, club founder Sir Myles (Patrick Malahide) confronts them with a couple of rules that prove a tad inconvenient.

The club only takes one girl at a time and never from the same family. They also only hold captive potential wives over age... and Anne is only 17.

Expelled from the club, Byrne and Strang take the girls on the run... but Anne's suitor, the cold-hearted John Power (Liam Cunningham), is hot on their trail with a party of Redcoats.

Making full use of the lush Irish locations, this a good, old-fashioned romantic drama full of thundering hooves, flashing muskets and unfeasibly large white blousons.

Lapaine and Rhys are adequate as romantic leads, although you cannot help seeing Hugh Grant galloping through the surf with a fair maiden riding side-saddle.

Edward Woodward is wheeled out to play a duplicitous attorney general and Cunningham is suitably double-dealing in the villain's role.

Byrne and Strang may not capture your heart but they can certainly keep your attention for a good hour and a half.

Tim Evans