Zuckerberg Acquires Castle in Southeastern Ireland for Tens of Millions of Euros

Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have purchased the historic Strancally Castle in southeastern Ireland. This was reported by UNN, citing Reuters and The Irish Times.

Along with the building, the new owners acquired an estate spanning about 440 acres, or nearly 178 hectares. The exact value of the deal has not been disclosed, although Irish media estimate the property to be worth €20–30 million.

The Zuckerberg family plans to preserve the historic estate

A representative of the Meta founder confirmed that Zuckerberg and Chan purchased Strancally Castle several weeks ago. It  is located in County Waterford on the banks of the Blackwater River. The sale took place off the open market, and information about the final transaction amount has not yet appeared in the Irish property price register. Zuckerberg's representative said that the family intends to preserve the historic building and spend time there while staying in Ireland. At the same time, the couple does not plan to move from the United States.

It should be noted that Zuckerberg is also connected to Ireland through business. Meta's international headquarters is located in Dublin, and the company has operated in the country since 2009.

The castle was built about 200 years ago

The present-day Strancally Castle was built in the late 1820s – around 1830 – for former Member of Parliament John Kiely. The project was designed by architects James and George Richard Pain, known for their work in the Gothic Revival style. The building features towers, crenellated parapets, and stone detailing characteristic of that period.

The main house has three floors and an area of about 16,000 square feet. It formerly contained 11 principal bedrooms, several guest rooms, a large dining room, a drawing room, a library, and rooms in the tower. After renovations, an indoor swimming pool was also installed at the estate. Historic interior details that have been preserved include oak staircases and a fireplace made of black Kilkenny marble.

The previous owners held the castle for about 25 years

Before Zuckerberg, Strancally Castle belonged to financier Michael Allen-Buckley and his wife Giancarla. The couple purchased the property around 2001 for more than £2 million. Over the following two decades, the owners carried out extensive restoration of the building and gradually expanded the estate's grounds.

After the sale, the Allen-Buckleys said they were pleased to hand Strancally over to new owners who intend to continue preserving and developing the historic property.

Zuckerberg had already tried to purchase a large estate in Ireland

The Meta founder's interest in Irish property became known as early as 2025.

American billionaire John Malone said at the time that Zuckerberg had offered to buy Castlemartin Estate in County Kildare from him, but was turned down. Therefore,  the purchase of Strancally Castle became a continuation of the businessman's interest in large historic estates in Ireland.

Other billionaires' properties are also located near Strancally. In particular, Ballynatray House is about 13 km away; it was purchased in 2024 by British inventor and entrepreneur James Dyson.

Strancally's history dates back to the Middle Ages

The estate's grounds are also connected with an older history. A medieval fortress belonging to the Desmond family once stood near the present-day Strancally Castle.

A local legend is associated with it, involving the so-called "murder hole" – supposedly, the fortress's owners lured guests to banquets and then dropped them through an opening in the rock into the river.

At the same time, there is no historical evidence to support this legend. Moreover, it concerns the old fortress specifically, whose ruins are located several kilometers from the present-day 19th-century castle.

Recall 

As reported by UNN, director George Lucas purchased a £40 million mansion in London.