Beaufort House, as it’s known today, was constructed on the site of an earlier fortification called Short Castle, though you’d be hard-pressed to spot any remnants of the original structure in the current building’s fabric. The only hint of its predecessor lies beneath; the house sits atop a partial basement that local tradition holds to be the old castle’s foundations.

The history of this site becomes even more interesting when you dig into the historical records. Writing in 1756, Smith described a small ruined castle in this general area, which he claimed was built during the tumultuous wars of 1641 by a certain Captain Sullivan. According to Smith’s account, Sullivan erected this defensive structure during one of Ireland’s most turbulent periods, when the country was engulfed in rebellion and conflict. Whether this was indeed Short Castle or another fortification entirely remains a matter of some speculation.

Today, visitors to Beaufort House would find it difficult to imagine the military purpose this site once served. The transformation from defensive stronghold to Georgian residence represents a common pattern across Ireland, where many tower houses and castles were either demolished or incorporated into more comfortable domestic buildings as the need for fortified homes diminished. The archaeological survey conducted by O’Sullivan and Sheehan in 1996 helps piece together these fragments of history, ensuring that even when the physical evidence has largely disappeared, the story of places like Short Castle continues to be told.