Zuckerberg and Chan acquire Irish estate
Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have bought Strancally Castle, a gothic-style mansion on a 178-hectare (440-acre) estate in County Waterford, Ireland. The Meta chief executive and Chan will use the property as a base during visits to Ireland, where Meta maintains its international headquarters.
A spokesperson confirmed the purchase on Thursday, saying: "Mark and his family are excited to continue caring for this historic home and look forward to spending time in Ireland."
The off-market deal was not publicly listed, and the price paid has not been disclosed. The Irish Times, which first reported the sale, estimated the estate's value at between €20 million (£17 million) and €30 million — roughly 10% of the cost of Zuckerberg's 387ft superyacht, which has reportedly cost close to $300 million.
A historic property with a storied past
Strancally Castle was built in 1830 for John Keily, a former Conservative MP, and designed by architects James and George Richard Pain. The property is notable for its scale and design; according to the book The Houses of Ireland, a "brisk walk of four and a half minutes" is needed to travel from the dining room to the kitchen.
The National Built Heritage Service website describes the castle's construction as sandstone and limestone ashlar, which it says "augments the dour tone of the composition while providing evidence of high quality stone masonry and craftsmanship."
Local legend holds that Spanish invaders once occupied an earlier castle on the site and tricked local landowners into a banquet, dropping them into a flooded cave. The story goes that the Spanish were subsequently driven out and the old castle destroyed.
The current castle spans about 16,000 square feet and includes at least 11 bedrooms, four tower suites, a library, a formal dining room, and a drawing room.
Previous owners and local context
Michael Alen-Buckley, a co-founder of the London-based investment firm RAB Capital, and his wife Giancarla, a scion of the family behind the Rocco Forte Hotels group, bought the estate in the early 2000s and undertook a renovation. In a statement, 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 added: "We are delighted that Mark and his family intend to build on our stewardship by continuing to invest in maintaining and enhancing the property and grounds as their home in a sustainable manner. We wish them and their family much happiness in this unique and blessed place."
The purchase is part of a broader trend of high-profile entrepreneurs acquiring historic Irish estates. Ballynatray House, in County Waterford, was bought by James Dyson in 2024, and John Collison purchased Abbey Leix in County Laois in 2021.