Tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have purchased Strancally Castle, a historic 440-acre Gothic-revival estate in County Waterford, Ireland. Acquired in an off-market deal, the property will serve as a private base during visits to Meta’s international headquarters in Dublin.
The purchase brings one of Silicon Valley’s most recognizable figures into the historic Blackwater Valley. Meta’s founder and chief executive secured the property from the Alen-Buckley family in recent weeks, according to The Irish Times, which first broke news of the transaction. While the exact purchase price remains private, local property estimates place the value between €20m and €30m.
That price tag represents roughly 10% of the cost of Zuckerberg’s 387-foot superyacht. Despite the grand acquisition, a spokesperson for the businessman clarified that the family will maintain their primary residence in the United States while utilizing the Irish estate for travel and corporate oversight.
Architectural Heritage and a Storied Valley
Strancally Castle sits perched above the River Blackwater in West Waterford, roughly 150 kilometers southwest of Dublin. Built around 1830 for John Keily—a former Conservative member of parliament—the three-story cut-stone structure was designed by renowned architects James and George Richard Pain, who also planned Dromoland Castle in County Clare and Cork County Gaol.
The interior boasts notable architectural flourishes, including a cantilevered delicate staircase in light oak and a dining room fireplace carved from black Kilkenny marble to resemble a crenellated castle. Its sprawling scale is legendary locally; architectural histories note that it required a rapid four-and-a-half-minute walk just to travel from the basement kitchen to the formal dining room—a layout that may suit Zuckerberg’s known preference for walking meetings.
Decades of Restoration Under Previous Stewards
The estate’s modern era was shaped by Michael Alen-Buckley, co-founder of London-based investment firm RAB Capital, and his wife Giancarla, a scion of the Forte hotel family. The couple acquired the property 25 years ago, executing a comprehensive restoration over the past two decades that introduced modern amenities, including an indoor swimming pool.
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,
they added.
Meta’s Footprint in Ireland and Elite Neighbors
The Waterford acquisition connects Zuckerberg more closely to a country where his corporate empire maintains deep roots. Meta has based its international headquarters in Dublin since 2009, employing approximately 1,500 people across Ireland, with additional operations including a data center outside Dublin and a virtual reality division in Cork.
The Waterford purchase follows an earlier, unsuccessful effort by Zuckerberg to acquire Castlemartin House and Estate in County Kildare, where he was turned down by Liberty Media chairman John Malone, according to Irishcentral.
At Strancally, the Zuckerbergs join an exclusive enclave of international billionaires along the Blackwater River. British inventor and Dyson founder James Dyson purchased nearby Ballynatray House for approximately €29 million in 2024, while Lismore Castle and Salterbridge House—owned by property magnate Stephen Vernon—sit further along the valley.
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