Mountbellew Agricultural College

Mountbellew Agricultural College or Franciscan Brothers College is a training college for the farming and agricultural industry in Mountbellew, County Galway. It was founded by the Franciscan Brothers in 1904, who previously had a secondary school on the location, it was the first such college in Ireland.[1] It is a private college but runs course in association with the Irish governments Agricultural and Food Development Authority (Teagasc) and the nearby Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology(GMIT).

The association with GMIT originates in the association with its predecessor the Galway Regional Technical College, with whom Mountbellew commenced in 1986 a Higher Certificate in Business Studies (agribusiness) which had pathways on to a Degree in Business. In 1998 an evening course in business studies for adults commenced. 2001 saw the start of a Higher Certificate in Agriculture, which allows students to progress to a bachelor's degree in Science in Agriculture and Environmental Management. Galway Mayo Institute of Technology. The links with GMIT have strengthened and students can now choose between two degrees (Rural Enterprise & Agribusiness or Agriculture & Environmental Management). These students spend time between the Mountbellew and Galway campuses.[2]

Former Galway West Fine Gael TD Paul Connaughton Jnr attended Mountbellew qualifying with a Business degree from GMIT.