Bishops to celebrate St Patrick's Day on March 15

Ireland's bishops have decided to move the Church's celebration of St Patrick's Day to March 15 next year.

The decision has been taken because March 17 coincides with the start of Holy Week.

The Church will now celebrate the feast day two days early, but the decision is unlikely to have any affect on traditional St Patrick's Day celebrations, which will almost certainly go ahead as normal on March 17.