The patron saint of Ireland will be celebrated at the 14th annual Celtic ball organised by the Irish Club in Rome on 19 March at the Sheraton hotel in EUR. Tickets are e80, or e75 for club members. The proceeds will be split between the Irish lung fibrosis association and the Rome Alzheimers medical association. For more information and tickets contact Sandra Tracy, sandratracy@fao.org or Aideen Archbold, aideenarchbold@hotmail.com.

The Irish College will hold a special Mass on St Patricks Day on 17 March at St. Patricks Roman Catholic Church in Via Boncompagni 31. On 16 and 17 March, the college will also stage three one-act plays, The knave of diamonds by Sigerson Clifford, A cure for nerves by Raymond Young (in Latin with subtitles) and a short scene from Rudens by Plautus. Tickets are not required and the event is open to all. Irish College, Via dei SS. Quattro 1. See www.irishcollege.org.