Athlone Community College is a mixed gender school in the town of Athlone in the Irish Midlands. Athlone Community College consists of a student body of 900 students and employs more than 70 teachers. Prior to the development of the present co-educational system, the Sisters of Mercy opened the school for girls in 1893, leading to the expansion and introduction of Technical education. Even in those days, fund-raising was necessary and the Sisters organized several concerts to clear a IR£1,500.00 debt. The world acclaimed tenor, John McCormack, was a frequent star performer and helped alleviate some of the Sisters financial difficulties. In 1902, a Technical School for boys was opened by the Secretary of the Department of Education and Technical Instruction. In 1906, the committee set up the Athlone Woodworking and Industries Society offering their premises and equipment in Gleeson Street to the Society. In 1930, the technical scheme that had up to this been administered as a local scheme, now joined the wider county scheme. New premises were acquired in St. Mary's Place. Classes commenced and as numbers increased further extensions to the building were required.