Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have bought Strancally Castle and its 178-hectare (440-acre) estate in County Waterford, Ireland, to use as a base during visits to the country. The Meta CEO's family will continue caring for the historic home, as Meta maintains its international headquarters in Ireland.
The off-market deal's price was not disclosed, but the Irish Times estimated it at between €20 million and €30 million, roughly 10% of the cost of Zuckerberg's 387-foot superyacht.
The castle was built in 1830 for John Keily, a former Conservative MP, and designed by architects James and George Richard Pain. According to the book The Houses of Ireland, it takes a 'brisk walk of four and a half minutes' to go from the dining room to the kitchen.
Previously owned by Michael Alen-Buckley, co-founder of RAB Capital, and his wife Giancarla, who renovated it in the early 2000s, the couple said: 'We leave our home of 25 years fondly and are grateful for the opportunity we have been given to save and restore Strancally castle.' They expressed delight that the Zuckerbergs intend to continue investing in the property.
The National Built Heritage Service notes: 'The construction in sandstone and limestone ashlar augments the dour tone of the composition while providing evidence of high quality stone masonry and craftsmanship.'
The Blackwater valley also includes Ballynatray House, bought by James Dyson in 2024, and Abbey Leix in County Laois, purchased by Stripe co-founder John Collison in 2021.