The founder of Facebook/Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, and his wife Priscilla Chan have reportedly bought a 19th-century gothic-revival mansion in Ireland, in an off-market deal.
Strancally Castle is set in a 440-acre estate on the River Blackwater in County Waterford. The property is thought to be worth somewhere between €20mn and €30mn, according to the Irish Times, which first reported the sale. But neither the buyers nor the sellers have confirmed a figure.
“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,” confirmed a Meta spokesperson. The company has an international HQ in Dublin.
The estate, on the banks of the Blackwater near Youghal, was sold by Michael Alen-Buckley, a co-founder of the London-based investment firm RAB Capital, and his wife Giancarla, who had owned Strancally for 25 years, restoring it after buying the property 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. “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.”