Key Points
- Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, along with his wife, Priscilla Chan, has purchased Strancally Castle located in County Waterford, Ireland.
- Strancally Castle, in Gothic Revival style, is located in an estate of 440 acres near the River Blackwater, a mere 30 minutes away from Youghal.
- It has not been revealed how much the estate cost, but according to The Irish Times, which first reported the purchase, it could sell for between €20 million (£17.1 million) and €30 million.
- Built around 1830 for John Keily, who was a Tory MP, the 16,000 sq ft castle was designed by the brothers James and George Richard Pain.
- The estate has been bought by the couple from Michael and Giancarla Alen Buckley, who owned it for 25 years.
- The spokesman of Mr Zuckerberg has confirmed the purchase and said that the couple is “excited” to take care of the historic house and look forward to spending time in Ireland.
- The couple will be living in the United States while using Strancally whenever visiting Ireland.
- Meta’s European headquarters are located in Dublin since 2009 and Meta has around 1,500 employees in Ireland.
- The purchase of the property follows reports about Mr Zuckerberg having offered to buy
Castle (Wales Times) August 20, 2026 — Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire chief executive of Meta, and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have bought Strancally uk/local/swansea/castle/">Castle and its accompanying 440-acre estate in County Waterford, adding to a vast property portfolio that spans the United States.
The off-market purchase of the Gothic Revival castle, which sits on the banks of the River Blackwater about 30 minutes from Youghal, was completed several weeks ago, according to The Irish Times, which first reported the the deal.
The price paid has not been disclosed. However, as reported by The Irish Times, the 16,000 sq ft castle and its estate could have fetched between €20 million (£17.1 million) and €30 million. The Verge noted that the family may have paid “anywhere between €20 million and €30 million” for the property, which was restored by its previous owners.
A spokesman for Mr Zuckerberg confirmed the purchase on Thursday. As reported by the New York Post, the spokesman said: “Mark and his family are excited to continue caring for this historic home and look forward to spending time in Ireland, where Meta maintains its international headquarters.”
The Hindustan Times quoted the spokesman as saying that the tech billionaire and his wife are “excited” about the historic home.
The three-storey, cut-stone Gothic Revival house was built around 1830 for John Keily, a Tory MP, and was designed by brothers James and George Richard Pain. The pair also designed Dromoland Castle in County Clare, Cork County Gaol and Blackrock Castle in Cork. The castle has undergone a 20-year restoration.
Mr Zuckerberg and Ms Chan bought the estate from Michael and Giancarla Alen Buckley, who had owned it for 25 years. Mr Buckley is a co-founder of London investment firm RAB Capital, while Ms Alen Buckley is the daughter of Charles Forte, the late hotel magnate, and the sister of Rocco Forte, the founder of the Rocco Forte Hotels group.
The couple said they were “delighted” that Mr Zuckerberg and his family intended to continue investing in the the property and grounds.
It is understood that Mr Zuckerberg and Ms Chan will remain based in the United States and use Strancally when visiting Ireland. Meta has had its European headquarters in Dublin since 2009 and employs about 1,500 people in the country.
Mr Zuckerberg’s interest in acquiring an Irish home emerged last year when John Malone, the billionaire businessman, told the Wall Street Journal that the Meta boss had offered to buy his Castlemartin House and Estate in County Kildare. Mr Malone, the owner of Liberty Media, declined to sell.
Mr Zuckerberg, who is worth an estimated $190 billion, already owns a series of vast properties across the US. In Hawaii, he has assembled more than 1,000 acres on the island of Kauai, where he has been developing a sprawling compound featuring two mansions and a reported 5,000 sq ft underground shelter. The land and construction at the site have been estimated to have cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
He also owns adjoining estates on the western shore of Lake Tahoe, a resort lake on the California-Nevada border. Mr Zuckerberg paid $59 million for two properties there in 2018, and has been developing a seven-building estate. Earlier this year, Mr Zuckerberg and Ms Chan reportedly paid $170 million for a mansion on Indian Creek Island in Miami, an exclusive enclave known as “Billionaire Bunker”.
The Irish purchase comes as Meta faces a major legal battle in the United States. The company is on trial in California because of allegations by 29 states that it designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children and misled the public about the safety of its platforms. Meta denies the allegations.
The Irish Examiner reported that the estate is located near the village of Knockanore in West Waterford, while the Irish Mirror described the property as being situated north of Youghal. Locals in County Waterford have reacted positively to the news that Mr Zuckerberg is about to become their neighbour, according to Extra.ie.
Background of the Development
Strancally Castle is one of Ireland’s most historic estates, a Gothic Revival property built in the early 19th century. The castle was originally constructed around 1830 for John Keily, a Tory MP, with the design attributed to the Pain brothers, who were prominent architects in Munster and also worked on Dromoland Castle, Cork County Gaol and Blackrock Castle.
The estate has changed hands over the decades before being acquired by Michael and Giancarla Alen Buckley, who owned it for 25 years and oversaw a 20-year restoration of the property. The couple sold the castle and its 440-acre grounds to Mr Zuckerberg and Ms Chan in an off-market transaction.
The purchase extends a pattern of large Irish estates being acquired by technology billionaires. The Next Web noted that Strancally is the third large Irish estate bought by a tech billionaire since 2021. Mr Zuckerberg had previously expressed interest in an Irish home, having reportedly offered to buy John Malone’s Castlemartin House and Estate in County Kildare last year, a proposal Mr Malone declined.
Meta has maintained a significant presence in Ireland since 2009, with its European headquarters in Dublin and around 1,500 employees in the country, which helps explain the couple’s interest in establishing an Irish base.
Prediction: How the Purchase Could Affect the Irish Audience
The acquisition of Strancally Castle by Mr Zuckerberg and Ms Chan is expected to have several effects on the local community in County Waterford and on Meta’s standing in Ireland.
For residents of West Waterford, the arrival of a high-profile owner could bring economic benefits, including local employment linked to the upkeep of the historic estate and grounds, as well as increased attention on the region. The couple’s stated intention to continue investing in the property suggests ongoing restoration and maintenance work that could support local tradespeople and businesses.
The purchase may also strengthen Meta’s relationship with Ireland, where the company has operated its European headquarters since 2009. A personal Irish base for the chief executive could signal a deeper commitment to the country, potentially reassuring employees and policymakers about the company’s long-term presence at a time when Meta faces regulatory scrutiny across Europe.
However, the development could also draw increased scrutiny. As a prominent figure, Mr Zuckerberg’s ownership of a historic estate may invite attention from the media and from campaigners, particularly given the ongoing legal proceedings in the United States over the safety of Meta’s platforms. The presence of such a high-profile owner could also affect the character of the local area, with potential implications for privacy and tourism around the estate.
For now, the immediate effect appears to be a positive one, with local residents reported to have welcomed the news of their new neighbour, while the couple have indicated they look forward to spending time in Ireland.
