Beaufort Golf Course Killarney is part of the Churchtown Estate, the centre piece of which is the Georgian house built in 1740 by Sir Roland Blennerhassett. 
The estate was bought in 1860 by James MacGillycuddy Magill who turned it into one of the largest dairy farms of its time in the Southwest region until recent times. James's grandson and great grandsons closed the farm in the early nineties and with the help of golf architect Arthur Spring developed Beaufort Golf Course which was officially opened in 1995. The golf course and a large part of the estate was sold to Galvin Developments in 2006 who have redeveloped it into one of the finest parkland Southwest Ireland golf courses.
The ruins of 15th century Castle Core standing beside the 15th green was designed as a square tower house. Castle Core (Castle of the round hill) was built circa 1480 by the MacGillycuddy's, a branch of the O'Sullivan Mo'r clan. Fearing that it would have been taken by the English forces Donagh MacGillycuddy burnt the castle in1641 but restored it in 1660. Donagh went on to become High Sheriff of Kerry in 1687. The castle was abandoned by Donagh's son Denis in 1696 when he married into the Blennerhasset family in nearby Killorglin Castle. The stone of Castle Core was taken to build the Georgian house which is currently on the grounds of Beaufort Golf Resort.
