Mark Zuckerberg buys 440-acre Irish castle estate; spokesperson says family is ‘excited’

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have acquired a 440-acre estate in Ireland in the form of Strancally Castle. The property will serve as their home during visits to Ireland, where Meta's international headquarters are located. The exact purchase price remains undisclosed, but the Irish Times estimated the property's value to be between €20 million and €30 million.

Strancally Castle, situated on a 178-hectare estate in County Waterford, was constructed in 1830 for John Keily, a former Conservative Member of Parliament. Designed by architects James and George Richard Pain, the castle boasts an impressive scale, with one example being the time it takes to walk from the dining room to the kitchen, estimated at four and a half minutes.

Before being purchased by Zuckerberg and Chan, the estate belonged to Michael Alen-Buckley and his wife Giancarla, the co-founders of London-based investment firm RAB Capital. They owned the property for over two decades and carried out restoration work on the castle during that time. In their statement, they expressed gratitude for the opportunity to save and restore Strancally Castle, and they were delighted that Zuckerberg and his family intend to continue maintaining the property and its grounds.

The purchase of Strancally Castle connects Mark Zuckerberg to Ireland in a significant way, as Meta's international headquarters are situated in the country. This addition to Zuckerberg's collection of global properties further solidifies his connection to Ireland, where Meta maintains a strong presence.