The passing of the Vocational Act of 1930 marked a new era for education in Ireland and saw the establishment of technical schools throughout the country. Technical schools were to be and are to this day co-educational and multi-denominational schools. In 1931, Mr. Maurice Roche was appointed as the first Headmaster of Killorglin’s Technical School, a position that he held from 1931 until 1975. He and his colleagues, Mr. Denis Kidney and Ms. Kathleen O’ Neill started teaching in the Mill at Lower Bridge Street. Shortly afterwards vocational classes were moved from the Mill to the Carnegie Library until June 1933.
In November 1931 Kerry Vocational Education Committee set up a local sub-committee in Killorglin. The committee agreed to purchase a site on Langford Street for the building of a new technical school. A four-roomed school was sanctioned by the Department. In 1933 the Technical School classes were moved from the Carnegie Library to a rented property on the Iveragh road until the new Technical School was built in 1936.
The school building was extended in 1959 to cater for the continued increase of students attending Killorglin’s Technical School. The introduction of free education for all Vocational and Secondary Schools resulted in the continued growth of numbers attending Killorglin’s Technical School.
In 1973, extra accommodation was needed. However, there was no more space to extend at the existing campus on Langford Street. A ten-acre campus was purchased from Mr. Tom Mangan. An additional five acres adjoining the existing site was purchased from Mr Henry Dodd. A mobile prefab consisting of two classrooms, an office and toilet block were the first buildings to be placed on the new campus before the new school was built.
In 1975 Mr Maurice Roche retired and Austin O’Reilly succeeded him as Principal. Mr Sean Falvey was appointed Deputy Principal. In November 1976, the contract for the building of Killorglin’s new Technical School was signed between Kerry Vocational Committee and Keel Construction Ltd. and work commenced in 1980. In mid-September 1982, all classes were moved to the new Technical School, four months ahead of the official completion date. The new Vocational School was officially opened on 29th March 1983. Student numbers had reached 440 by 1982. In 1984 the name of the school was changed to Killorglin Community College.
Austin O’ Reilly retired in 2005 having been Principal for thirty years. In September 2005, Eric Brick was appointed Principal and remained in the position until he retired. Con Moynihan, currently seconded to Tusla, was appointed as Principal in September 2009 and he worked alongside Donal O’ Reilly who was appointed as Deputy Principal in 2007. Donal O’ Reilly currently seconded to the Centre of School Leadership was appointed as Acting Principal in September 2018 and Vera Kerrisk was appointed as Acting Deputy Principal. In September 2019 Vera Kerrisk was appointed as Acting Principal and Melissa O’ Riordan as Acting Deputy Principal. Vera Kerrisk and Melissa O’ Riordan were the first females to be appointed to senior leadership positions at Killorglin Community College.
In 2021 Fiona O'Brien was appointed as Principal, while Vera Kerrisk resumed the role of Acting Deputy Principal.