Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Zuckerberg Buys 440-Acre Strancally Castle Estate in Ireland
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan bought a very large, old castle in Ireland.
The castle is called Strancally Castle and comes with about 440 acres of land.
It has three floors and is about 16,000 square feet.
It was built nearly 200 years ago for a politician named John Keily.
The kitchen and dining room are so far apart that reaching the dining room takes about four and a half minutes of brisk walking.
The exact price was not announced, but reports estimated it could be worth up to €30 million.
The couple plans to visit the castle rather than move permanently to Ireland.
Meta, Zuckerberg’s company, has its international headquarters and other operations in Ireland.
Some historical books also describe a darker legend connected to the original castle site.
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan bought Strancally Castle and its approximately 440-acre estate in County Waterford, Ireland.
The off-market purchase price was undisclosed, though reports estimated it at €20 million–€30 million, or about ₹335 crore at the upper end.
The three-storey Gothic Revival castle was built around 1827–1830 and covers approximately 16,000 square feet.
The couple plans to use the property during visits to Ireland while continuing to live primarily in the United States.
Former owners Michael and Giancarla Alen-Buckley restored the estate over about 25 years and said the family would continue caring for it.
- Who
- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan purchased the estate from Michael and Giancarla Alen-Buckley’s family.
- What
- They bought Strancally Castle and its approximately 440-acre estate in an undisclosed off-market transaction.
- When
- The purchase was reportedly completed several weeks before the reports; no specific date was provided.
- Where
- Strancally Castle is in County Waterford’s Blackwater Valley, overlooking the River Blackwater in Ireland.
- Why
- The family plans to use the property during visits to Ireland, where Meta maintains its international headquarters and other operations.
Evidence Of International Estate Interest
Caution About A Broader Technology Trend
What the purchase signals
Evidence Of International Estate Interest
Observers point to Zuckerberg’s purchase, along with reported acquisitions by James Dyson and John Collison, as evidence that Ireland’s prime country-house market is attracting international buyers.
Caution About A Broader Technology Trend
Josh Pim of Savills Ireland said these deals show the market’s growing international reach but that it is too early to call them a broader trend among Silicon Valley buyers.
Why castles appeal to buyers
Evidence Of International Estate Interest
Industry observers say castles are attractive because their rarity and historical significance make them landmark properties that cannot be replicated.
Caution About A Broader Technology Trend
The reports describe a limited number of high-profile transactions and do not establish that demand from technology billionaires is widespread.
- Property
- Strancally Castle, a three-storey Gothic Revival estate
- Estate size
- Approximately 440 acres
- Castle size
- Approximately 16,000 square feet
- Construction
- Built around 1827–1830 for John Keily, a former Tory or Conservative MP
- Reported value
- Estimated at €20 million–€30 million, with the upper estimate reported as approximately ₹335 crore; the exact price remains undisclosed
- Previous owners
- Michael and Giancarla Alen-Buckley, who owned and restored the estate for about 25 years
- Meta operations
- Meta has its international headquarters in Dublin, a Reality Labs facility in Cork, and a data centre in Clonee, County Meath; reports say it employs about 1,500 people in Ireland
- Intended use
- A family base during visits to Ireland rather than a permanent residence
Sources
4.5-minute walk from dining room to kitchen: Zuckerberg buys 19th century Irish castle with a 'murderous' twist
Mark Zuckerberg buys castle in Ireland, adds 440-acre estate to property portfolio
Inside Mark Zuckerberg's ₹336 crore Irish castle: 16,000 sq. ft Gothic Revival property located near Meta's Europe headquarters
Mark Zuckerberg buys Rs 335 crore Irish castle spread across 440 acres
