Meta chief Zuckerberg buys Strancally Castle estate in Ireland

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have bought Strancally Castle and its 178-hectare (440-acre) estate in Ireland's County Waterford, The Guardian reports.

"Mark and his family are excited to continue caring for this historic home and look forward to spending time in Ireland, where Meta maintains its international headquarters," the British daily quoted a spokesperson as saying.

The price paid in the off-market deal remains undisclosed, but the Irish Times, which first reported the sale, estimated its value at between €20 million (£17 million) and €30 million, roughly 10 percent of the cost of Zuckerberg's 387ft superyacht.

The castle was built in 1830 for John Keily, a former Conservative MP, and designed on a lavish scale by architects James and George Richard Pain, with a "brisk walk of four and a half minutes" needed to go from the dining room to the kitchen, according to the book The Houses of Ireland.

Michael Alen-Buckley, co-founder of London-based investment firm RAB Capital, and his wife, Giancarla, a scion of the family behind the Rocco Forte Hotels group, bought the estate and renovated it in the early 2000s.

"We leave our home of 25 years fondly and are grateful for the opportunity we have been given to save and restore Strancally Castle," the couple said in a statement, as per The Guardian.

"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.

“We wish them and their family much happiness in this unique and blessed place."

The website of Ireland's National Built Heritage Service, a state agency that protects architectural heritage, offers a backhanded compliment to the castle.

"The construction in sandstone and limestone ashlar augments the dour tone of the composition while providing evidence of high quality stone masonry and craftsmanship," it says, as cited by the daily.

The Blackwater valley is home to other historic estates, including Ballynatray House, which entrepreneur James Dyson bought in 2024.

Further north, John Collison, co-founder of technology platform Stripe, bought Abbey Leix, an estate in County Laois, in 2021.