Whilst formal navigational training of Irish seafarers first began in Dublin in the late 18th century with the creation of the Irish Nautical College (first located in Dublin, later it moved to Dún Laoghaire), informal training in seamanship and navigation has been carried out in Ireland, typically through an apprenticeship, for a number of centuries.

[citation needed] This situation continued until 1975 when it was agreed by the Department of Education that all maritime training and education would be carried out at the newly established Cork Regional Technical College campus in Bishopstown, with all staff and equipment of the former Irish Nautical College folded into Cork RTC as the Department of Nautical Studies.

Informal discussions between college staff and naval officers led to a tentative proposal that unused Department of Defence land in Ringaskiddy be developed as a joint college, sharing costly facilities and avoiding duplication of academic, commercial and Naval Service training.

[16] In additional to machinery room equipment (diesel engines and boilers) used for familiarisation and training,[citation needed] there are several workshops and laboratories.

This aims to promote the mental health and welfare of students, and the college also engages the services of a professional counsellor.

[26] The dispute continued into 2017 with the Department of Transport issuing a Marine Notice[27] reminding seafarers of its course certification requirements.