Beaufort () is a small village that lies on the banks of the River Laune in

County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...

, in the southwest of

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. It consists of a post office, three

public houses A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private ho ...

, one supermarket,

parish hall A church hall or parish hall is a room or building associated with a church architecture, church, generally for community and Charitable organization, charitable use. In smaller and village communities, it is often a separate building near the ...

, guest houses and thirty private houses. As of the 2016 census, the population was 251. 9 km west of

Killarney Killarney ( ; , meaning 'church of sloes') is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northeastern shore of Lough Leane, part of Killarney National Park, and is home to St Mary's Cathedral, Killar ...

, Beaufort sits at the foot of Ireland's highest mountain Carrantuohill. Edward Day, Archdeacon of Ardfert from 1782, lived here until his death in 1808. His estate later passed to his nephew, the Reverend John Robert Fitzgerald-Day, who lived at Beaufort from the 1840s to his death in 1881. In 1910, Kalem Company, an American moving-picture company spent several weeks in the village shooting films. Among the company: the director

Sidney Olcott Sidney Olcott (born John Sidney Allcott; September 20, 1872 – December 16, 1949) was a Canadian-born film producer, director, actor and screenwriter. Biography Born John Sidney Allcott in Toronto, he became one of the first great dire ...

, actress Gene Gauntier, Alice Hollister and actors

Jack J. Clark Jack J. Clark (September 23, 1879 – April 12, 1947) was an American director and actor of the early motion picture industry. Biography Clark was born on September 23, 1879, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was persuaded to enter motion pictures ...

, Robert Vignola, JP McGowan, the cinematographer George K. Hollister. The first film was '' The Lad from Old Ireland'', the first American movie to be shot outside the U.S.. This was followed by ''

Rory O'More Rory Oge O'More (; – 30 June 1578) was an Irish noble and chief of the O'More clan. As the Lord of Laois, he rebelled against the Tudors' sixteenth-century conquest of Gaelic Ireland. Irish nationalists Patrick Pearse and Philip O'Su ...

'', '' The Irish Honeymoon'', ''

The Colleen Bawn ''The Colleen Bawn, or The Brides of Garryowen'' is a melodramatic Play (theatre), play written by Irish people, Irish playwright Dion Boucicault. It was first performed at Laura Keene's Theatre, New York City, New York, on 27 March 1860 with ...

'' and '' Arrah-na-Pogue'', which were adapted from

Dion Boucicault Dionysius Lardner "Dion" Boucicault (né Boursiquot; 26 December 1820 – 18 September 1890) was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. By the later part of the 19th century, Boucicault had become known on both sides of the ...

's plays. Olcott returned to Beaufort each summer until 1914. He rented the hotel owned by Patrick O'Sullivan who also owned a pub, which still exists today: The Beaufort Bar.

Historical sites

Over 100 historical sites have been identified and mapped in the area including the Dunloe Ogham Stones, two castle ruins, and Dunloe Castle, built in 1207. The ruins of two ancient churches still stand in the

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

today. One, situated at Kilgobnet on O'Shea's land and associated with St. Gobnait, the other in Churchtown burial ground, which is more than five centuries old. Ballymalis Castle, located 4 km to the northwest of Beaufort, is a National Monument. The Beaufort Bridge over the River Laune was built in 1837.

Sports

Beaufort GAA is the local GAA team who compete at various underage levels to senior and junior levels. Divisionally they compete in Mid-Kerry championship.

References

External links

''Les films irlandais de Sidney Olcott''
website dedicated to Sidney Olcott
Beaufort parish website
Towns and villages in County Kerry Civil parishes of County Kerry County Kerry