Editing Institute of Technology, Tralee

{{Short description|Former RTC}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox university
| name                   = Institute of Technology, Tralee
| native_name            = Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Thrá Lí
| native_name_lang       = gle
| image                  = Institute of Technology, Tralee, 2021-06-20, 04.jpg
| image_alt              =
| caption                = Tralee campus in June 2021
| former_name            =
| motto                  =
| type                   = [[Public university|Public]]
| established            = {{Start date|1977}}
| closed                 = {{End date|2021|01|01|df=y}}
| president              = Oliver Murphy<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.kerryman.ie/news/new-acting-president-appointed-at-it-tralee-2533850.html |title=New acting President appointed at IT Tralee |first=Simon |last=Brouder |date=9 February 2011 |newspaper=[[The Kerryman]] |access-date=2 June 2011 |archive-date=14 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314154237/http://www.kerryman.ie/news/new-acting-president-appointed-at-it-tralee-2533850.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| students               = 3,500+
| address                = Dromtacker
| city                   = [[Tralee]]
| province               = [[Munster]]
| postalcode             =
| country                = [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| website                = {{URL|https://www.ittralee.ie}}
}}

The '''Institute of Technology, Tralee''' ('''IT Tralee'''; {{langx|ga|Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Thrá Lí}}) was an [[Institutes of technology in the Republic of Ireland|institute of technology]], located in [[Tralee]], Ireland. It was established in 1977 as the '''Regional Technical College, Tralee'''. In January 2021, itself and the [[Cork Institute of Technology]] were dissolved to become the [[Munster Technological University]], Ireland's second technological university.<ref name="EchoLiveMay20">{{Cite news |title=Second university announced for Cork with green light given to CIT and IT Tralee consortium |website=[[EchoLive.ie]] |url=https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/Second-university-announced-for-Cork-with-green-light-given-to-CIT-and-IT-Tralee-consortium-065002a5-aedf-49b3-9e96-a7bb24180448-ds |url-status=live |first=Breda |last=Graham |access-date=2020-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526184832/https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/Second-university-announced-for-Cork-with-green-light-given-to-CIT-and-IT-Tralee-consortium-065002a5-aedf-49b3-9e96-a7bb24180448-ds |archive-date=2020-05-26}}</ref><ref name="ExaminerMay20">{{Cite news |last=Casey |first=Jess |date=2020-05-26 |title=New technological university for Munster this week as greenlight expected for IT merger |language=en |website=[[IrishExaminer.ie]] |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/new-technological-university-for-munster-this-week-as-greenlight-expected-for-it-merger-1001810.html |url-status=live |access-date=2020-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526184844/https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/new-technological-university-for-munster-this-week-as-greenlight-expected-for-it-merger-1001810.html |archive-date=2020-05-26}}</ref><ref name="ITMay20">{{Cite news |last=Roche |first=Barry |title=Taoiseach confirms creation of new Munster Technological University |language=en |newspaper=The Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/taoiseach-confirms-creation-of-new-munster-technological-university-1.4263235 |access-date=2020-05-26 |date=2020-05-26 |archive-date=3 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203085350/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/taoiseach-confirms-creation-of-new-munster-technological-university-1.4263235 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
Tralee RTC was established in 1977 under the control of the Town of Tralee Vocational Education Committee (VEC). Dr. Seán McBride was appointed Principal in 1978. In 1984, work began on the South Campus. In 1992, Tralee RTC became an autonomous institution under the Regional Technical Colleges Act (1992). In 1997, Tralee RTC was renamed, along with the other RTCs, as the Institute of Technology, Tralee. In 2007, the title of the head of the institute changed from "Director" to "President." Michael Carmody served as president until 2011.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brouder |first=Simon |date=2011-02-10 |title=New acting President appointed at IT Tralee |language=en |work=[[The Kerryman]] |via=[[Independent.ie]] |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/news/new-acting-president-appointed-at-it-tralee-27403829.html |access-date=2020-05-31 |archive-date=3 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203132409/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/news/new-acting-president-appointed-at-it-tralee-27403829.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Dr. Oliver Murphy served as acting president until appointed to the post for a five-year term. Despite resigning,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-02-18 |title=IT Tralee looks for a new President |work=[[The Kerryman]] |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/news/it-tralee-looks-for-a-new-president-35451471.html |access-date=2020-05-31 |via=[[Independent.ie]] |archive-date=3 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203132426/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/news/it-tralee-looks-for-a-new-president-35451471.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Dr. Murphy was reappointed to a second five-year term in 2017, and prior to the merger with [[Munster Technological University|MTU]], retired in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=RadioKerry.ie |author-link=RadioKerry.ie |date=2020-03-31 |title=Dr Oliver Murphy retires as President of IT Tralee |language=en-GB |url=https://www.radiokerry.ie/dr-oliver-murphy-retires-president-tralee/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402174009/https://www.radiokerry.ie/dr-oliver-murphy-retires-president-tralee/ |archive-date=2020-04-02}}</ref>

==Schools and departments==
[[File:Institute of Technology, Tralee, 2021-06-20, 01.jpg|thumb|Institute of Technology, Tralee campus]]
The institute had two campuses - the North campus (located in Dromtacker) and the South campus (located in Clash) - approximately 2.4 km (1.5 mi) apart. {{As of|2019|10|post=,}} it has the following Schools and Departments:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ittralee.ie/en/InformationFor/Staff/Contact/Departments/ |website=[[ITTralee.ie]] |archive-date=2019-10-29 |title=Academic Departments |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029103457/http://www.ittralee.ie/en/InformationFor/Staff/Contact/Departments/}}</ref>

*'''School of Business, Computing and Humanities''' ''located on the North campus'':
**Creative Media and Information Technology Department
**Business Studies Department
**Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Department
**Computing Department
*'''School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics''' ''located on the South campus'':
**Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Department
**Civil Engineering and Construction Studies Department
**Agriculture and Manufacturing Studies Department
**Biological and Pharmaceutical Science Department
**Apprentice Section
*'''School of Health and Social Sciences''':
**Health and Leisure Studies Department ''located on the North campus''
**Social Sciences Department ''located in the North Campus''
**Nursing and Health Care Sciences Department ''located in the North campus''

The South campus has been in operation since the opening of the Institute in 1977. The North campus opened in 2001. The continuing development of the North campus will eventually lead to the entire institute being relocated to Dromtacker.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://afterschool.my/scholarship/institute-technology-tralee-tralee-scholarship/ |title=Tralee Scholarship 2017 |publisher=Afterschool |access-date=5 May 2017 |archive-date=5 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505170932/http://afterschool.my/scholarship/institute-technology-tralee-tralee-scholarship/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Merger to become Munster Technological University==
{{see|Munster Technological University}}
[[Taoiseach]] [[Leo Varadkar]] announced the formal approval of [[Munster Technological University]] in May 2020, to begin operations in January 2021.<ref name="EchoLiveMay20"/><ref name="ExaminerMay20"/><ref name="ITMay20"/>

Munster TU is among a group of other possible [[Technological Universities in Ireland|Technological Universities]] to add to [[TU Dublin]].<ref name="MTU.ie">{{Cite web |url=http://www.mtu.ie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161004151627/http://www.mtu.ie/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 October 2016 |title=Munster Technological University (MTU) |website=Mtu.ie |access-date=6 November 2018 }}</ref><ref name="UT">{{cite news |url-status=live |work=[[The University Times]] |archive-date=12 October 2018 |url=http://www.universitytimes.ie/2018/10/hea-invests-e800000-in-four-institutes-of-technology/ |location=[[Trinity College Dublin]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012202052/http://www.universitytimes.ie/2018/10/hea-invests-e800000-in-four-institutes-of-technology/ |date=12 October 2018 |title=HEA Invests €800,000 in Four Institutes of Technology |first=Aisling |last=Marren |access-date=6 November 2018}}</ref>

==Industry links==
The [[Tom Crean (explorer)|Tom Crean]] Business Incubation Centre opened in the north campus in January 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/kerry-sci-tech-tralee-dingle-killarney |first=Elaine |last=Burke |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822112711/https://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/kerry-sci-tech-tralee-dingle-killarney |date=2019-08-22 |archive-date=2019-08-22 |title=9 Kerry start-ups set to reign in the Kingdom |website=[[SiliconRepublic.com]]}}</ref> Situated on the same site in Dromtacker is the Kerry Technology Park, owned and operated by [[Shannon Development]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.shannon-dev.ie/ |title=Shannon Development Website |access-date=12 August 2009 |archive-date=21 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221012508/http://www.shannon-dev.ie/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Park and the Institute often work closely together, developing curricula and providing an exchange of students to work in the Park. In September 2004, a new nursing complex opened on the North campus. The "Solás building", as it is known, is where student nurses learn practical nursing skills.{{fact|date=February 2024}}

The [[Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre]] (SABC) is also based on the campus of IT Tralee and is a joint venture between IT Tralee and [[Limerick Institute of Technology]].{{fact|date=February 2024}}

==Sports==
In 1997, [[IT Tralee GAA]] became the first RTC team to win the [[Sigerson Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kerrygaa.ie/old_website/intercounty/2005/senfoot/final2005/penpics.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029043326/http://www.kerrygaa.ie/old_website/intercounty/2005/senfoot/final2005/penpics.htm |url-status=dead |title=All-Ireland Senior Football Final 2005 |archive-date=29 October 2010}}</ref> It was only Tralee's second outing in this competition. However, the college created further history by winning the Sigerson three times in successive seasons to become the only RTC/Institute of Technology to do so in the competition's history.<ref>{{cite news |title=Taking the game to a higher level |date=2000-09-21 |website=[[IrishTimes.com]] |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/taking-the-game-to-a-higher-level-1.1123661 |access-date=31 May 2020 |archive-date=13 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513025955/https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/taking-the-game-to-a-higher-level-1.1123661 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The men's team won the Trench Cup (the second tier Gaelic football championship trophy for Third Level Education Colleges, Institutes of Technology and Universities in Ireland and England) in 2010.

The Ladies football team won the O'Connor Cup back-to-back in 1998 and 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=2009-10-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019121339/http://www.ladiesgaelic.ie/colleges/Rollofhonour.htm |year=2009 |title=All Ireland Roll of Honour |url=http://www.ladiesgaelic.ie/Colleges/Rollofhonour.htm |archive-date=2009-10-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[hurling|hurlers]] also won the Ryan Cup in 1997 with the [[camogie]] team winning the Purcell Shield in the same year.

==See also==

* [[Education in the Republic of Ireland]]
* [[Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ittralee.ie Official site]
* [http://www.creancentre.com/ Crean Centre]
{{Institutes of Technology in Ireland}}

{{Coord|52.2713|N|9.6892|W|type:landmark_region:IE|display=title}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Institute of Technology, Tralee}}
[[Category:1977 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:2021 disestablishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Tralee]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1977]]
[[Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 2021]]
[[Category:Education in Tralee]]
[[Category:Institutes of technology in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Munster Technological University|Tralee]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Tralee]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in the Republic of Ireland|Tralee]]