Among its former students was St Oliver Plunkett, who attended in the late 17th century

The Irish College in Rome, also known as the Pontifical Irish College, was founded in 1628. It was established as a seminary to educate and train Irish Catholic priests for service in Ireland and abroad. The college played a crucial role in preserving the Catholic faith and training clergy during a period when the majority of Ireland was under Protestant English rule, and Catholicism was suppressed.

The college became a center of Irish Catholic culture and education in Rome. It provided Irish seminarians with a religious and academic education and contributed to the maintenance of the Catholic faith in Ireland during times of persecution.

The Irish College in Rome continues to exist today, serving as a seminary and a cultural institution. It plays an important role in the training of Irish priests and the promotion of Irish culture in the heart of the Catholic Church.