Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan buy 19th-century Strancally Castle in Ireland

Acquisition of Strancally Castle

Meta founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have purchased Strancally Castle, a 19th-century Gothic Revival estate in County Waterford, Ireland. The private off-market transaction transfers ownership from British financier Michael Alen-Buckley, co-founder of London investment firm RAB Capital, and his wife Giancarla Alen-Buckley, whose family established the Forte luxury hotel group. Official representatives did not disclose the precise financial sum paid for the estate, though European media estimates place the transaction between €20 million and €30 million. The property sits on the banks of the Blackwater River, approximately 150 kilometres southwest of Dublin, and comprises nine bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and extensive surrounding woodland. Prior to the sale, the Alen-Buckley family completed comprehensive structural and interior restorations over a 20-year period.

Architectural details and origins

Constructed between 1827 and 1830 for former Tory member of parliament John Keily, the residence was designed by architect brothers James and George Richard Pain, who trained under British architect John Nash. The three-storey cut-stone building features defensive parapets, corner turrets, and a cantilevered light oak staircase. In the formal dining room, the interior incorporates a crenellated fireplace carved from black Kilkenny marble. Architectural historians Brian De Breffny and Rosemary Ffolliott recorded that Keily planned the expansive layout so that walking from the basement kitchen to the dining room took four and a half minutes at a brisk pace. The Pain brothers also designed other Irish landmarks, including Dromoland Castle in County Clare, Blackrock Castle in Cork, and Cork County Gaol. In addition to the primary mansion, the estate grounds incorporate an ornamental stone tower and a private pier situated along an inlet of the Blackwater River.

Estate history and land transfers

Financial strains forced the Keily family to sell the castle and its surrounding 5,000 acres to the Whitelocke-Lloyd family around 1855 for approximately £10,000. William Whitelocke-Lloyd later attended Oxford University with writer Oscar Wilde before serving in the British army during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. The surrounding lands, described in 19th-century accounts by author William Howitt, were later acquired by the Irish Land Commission in the mid-20th century to redistribute acreage. The estate grounds also sit 4.5 kilometres from the ruins of a 13th-century Desmond fortress that once belonged to English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh. Zuckerberg previously explored acquiring Irish real estate, including approaching American businessman John Malone regarding property assets in the country.

Corporate presence and planned residency

Meta confirmed the acquisition on 20 August 2026, indicating that the family intends to maintain the property while using it during trips connected to European corporate operations.

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.

Zuckerberg and Chan will continue to live primarily in the United States, utilizing Strancally Castle during business visits to Ireland. Meta established its international headquarters in Dublin in 2009 and currently employs approximately 1,500 people across the country. The company's regional operations also include virtual and augmented reality development facilities in Cork as well as a dedicated data centre operating outside Dublin.