Before 1927 only one team represented Tralee in the Kerry Senior Football County Championship and they were Tralee John Mitchels. As this team was so successful the Kerry County Board requested that it should be divided into three individual teams representing, Boherbee, Rock St. and Strand St, this is where the John Mitchels, Austin Stacks and Kerins O'Rahilly's clubs came from. The John Mitchels club since 1927 are thought to be one of the most successful clubs in Kerry.

Between 1959 and 1963 they won five Senior Football titles in a row, the only team to do so in the history of the Kerry County Championship. John Mitchels Club are holders of 10 Senior, 1 U-21 and 3 Minor County Championships.

They have also played in 3 Kerry Senior Club Hurling Championship finals in 1927 and 1928 losing both to Austin Stacks and 1936 they lost to St. Brendan's, Ardfert.

Success has been limited of late, although John Mitchels player Brien Costello, captained Tralee CBS to Munster Colleges Senior 'A' Corn Uí Mhuirí Glory and in the All-Ireland Colleges Hogan Cup Final loss to Omagh CBS in 2007. In 2008 for the first time in the club's long history they dropped out of the Senior County Championship to the Kerry Intermediate Football Championship.

In 2014, the club moved to a new ground outside of Tralee, in Ballyseedy.