ZUCKERBERG PAID €51 MILLION FOR A CASTLE IN IRELAND
Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, bought Strancally Castle, a Gothic mansion in County Waterford, Ireland, for €51,171,155, according to the country’s Residential Property Price Register. A spokesperson for the Meta founder said the couple plan to spend time there and noted Meta has its international headquarters in Ireland.
The sale was dated August 17, 2026, and the figure was RTÉ‘s headline detail when the register updated on October 7, 2026. Yahoo Lifestyle put it at about $57.2 million.
The Irish Times first reported the purchase on August 20, 2026. On August 27, Zuckerberg’s spokesperson, Brian Baker, confirmed it to People.
“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,”
Baker added that Meta employs 1,500 people in Ireland and that the couple had considered buying a home there for a while. Yahoo News likewise reported that a spokesman called the couple “excited.”
A castle with a long to-do list, now finished
Strancally Castle sits in Knockanore on the banks of the River Blackwater. The estate covers 440 acres, and the three-storey house runs to roughly 16,000 square feet.
It was designed by architects James and George Richard Pain and built around 1830 for John Keily, a former Tory MP, The Irish Times reported. The paper’s property coverage counts 11 main bedrooms, five of them en suite, plus four more bedroom suites in the tower. Planning documents show an indoor swimming pool was added in later renovations.
The previous owners were Michael Alen-Buckley, co-founder of the investment firm RAB Capital, and his wife, Giancarla. They owned the place for 25 years, and The Irish Times said the castle went through a full restoration over about 20 years. The house also hosted the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, whose president is Alen-Buckley.
The Alen-Buckleys told The Irish Times they were leaving “fondly” and wished the new owners well.
“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”
They also said: “We wish them and their family much happiness in this unique and blessed place.”
Zuckerberg and Chan married in 2012, have three daughters and also own properties in California, Florida and Hawaii. The Irish Times said they are expected to keep living in the United States and use the castle on trips to Ireland. RTÉ reported the family is understood to plan to use it when doing Meta business in the country.
The couple also pledged €150,000 to three local clubs: Shamrocks GAA in Knockanore, Tallow GAA in Tallow and Lismore GAA in Lismore, The Economic Times reported.
Early coverage had floated a value of up to $35 million, and the castle was first estimated to sell for €20 million to €30 million. The Irish Times said that estimate rested on the quality of the residence and its restoration. The registered price came in close to double it, and The Economic Times reported it was the highest price paid for a single residential property in Ireland that year.
The Irish Times noted that the register figure covers the principal residence and up to one acre of land, so the total spend on the whole estate may be higher. The register entry, published October 7, 2026, recorded the €51,171,155 sale as completed on August 17, 2026.
