Mark Zuckerberg Buys Historic Strancally Castle in County Waterford
- Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has purchased Strancally Castle in County Waterford, Ireland, according to reporting by RTÉ and The Irish Times.
- Strancally Castle is a three-story, cut-stone Gothic revival-style house located on the banks of the River Blackwater, approximately 20 kilometers north of Youghal in County Cork.
- According to RTÉ, Zuckerberg and his family intend to continue living in the United States while using the Waterford estate during trips for Meta business in Ireland.
Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has purchased Strancally Castle in County Waterford, Ireland, according to reporting by RTÉ and The Irish Times. A spokesperson for Zuckerberg confirmed the transaction to RTÉ’s News at One program, stating that the family is excited to care for the historic property and spend time in Ireland.
Property Details and Location on the River Blackwater
Strancally Castle is a three-story, cut-stone Gothic revival-style house located on the banks of the River Blackwater, approximately 20 kilometers north of Youghal in County Cork. According to RTÉ, the structure was built in 1827 for former UK Tory MP John Kiely. The current estate sits on roughly 440 acres and encompasses about 16,000 square feet of living space that underwent significant refurbishments under previous ownership.
The property lies about 4.5 kilometers upriver from the ruins of the original Strancally Castle, which served as a fortification built by the Desmond family. The surrounding Blackwater Valley area includes several other historic estates, such as Ballynatray House, Lismore Castle, Cappoquin House, and Salterbridge House. Inventor and entrepreneur James Dyson purchased nearby Ballynatray House.
Meta Operations and Regional Footprint in Ireland
According to RTÉ, Zuckerberg and his family intend to continue living in the United States while using the Waterford estate during trips for Meta business in Ireland. Meta maintains its international headquarters in Dublin, a facility that opened in 2009 and currently employs about 1,500 people.
The company’s regional presence also includes its Reality Labs virtual and augmented reality operations based in Cork and a data center located in Clonee, County Meath.
Previous Ownership History of Strancally Castle
Prior to the sale, the castle was owned for more than 20 years by the Alen-Buckley family, as reported by RTÉ. Michael Alen-Buckley is a co-founder of London-based private investment firm RAB Capital. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed by representatives for Zuckerberg.
