Zuckerberg buys Irish castle estate
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan bought Strancally Castle, a 440-acre Irish estate in County Waterford. The purchase makes him the third tech billionaire to buy a large Irish estate since.
Background
Zuckerberg and Chan purchased Strancally Castle, a Gothic Revival house built around 1830, along with its 440-acre estate in County Waterford, Ireland. The sale was completed several weeks ago, though the price is undisclosed, with estimates between €20 million and €30 million. The estate is near Ballynatray House, bought by James Dyson in 2024, and Abbey Leix, bought by John Collison in 2021, making Zuckerberg the third tech billionaire to acquire a large Irish estate. Zuckerberg had previously expressed interest in Castlemartin House but was turned down by John Malone.
How it unfolded
- 2025Zuckerberg expressed interest in buying Castlemartin House and Estate in Co Kildare, but was turned down by owner John Malone.
- 2026 (several weeks ago)Zuckerberg and Chan completed the purchase of Strancally Castle and its 440-acre estate from Michael and Giancarla Alen Buckley.
- Aug 20, 2026The purchase was reported by The Irish Times and confirmed by a spokesperson for Zuckerberg, who said the family looks forward to caring for the historic home.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- A spokesperson for Zuckerberg said: 'Mark and his family look forward to caring for this historic home and visiting when traveling to Ireland, where Meta maintains its international headquarters.'
- Analysts
- The Irish Times estimated the estate could have achieved between €20 million and €30 million given the quality of the residence, which has undergone a full restoration over the past 20 years.
Still unverified
The exact purchase price is unconfirmed; estimates range from €20 million to €30 million. The seller was reportedly Michael Alen-Buckley, but he could not be reached for comment.