Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have acquired Strancally Castle, a 440-acre Gothic-revival estate in County Waterford, Ireland, in an off-market transaction reported to be between $23 million and $35 million. The estate, located on the River Blackwater, has a history steeped in legend, including tales of a medieval killing floor known as the “murder hole.”
According to historical accounts, the original Strancally Castle was the site where Spanish occupiers allegedly lured local landowners to a banquet, only to trap and kill them. English writer William Howitt documented the legend in his 1847 book “Homes and Haunts of the Most Eminent British Poets,” describing how victims were tied and dropped through a hidden trapdoor into a cave below. Howitt noted the rapid river carried away the victims' cries, and "the dead told no tales."
The current Strancally Castle, built around 1830 for Tory Member of Parliament John Keily and designed by architects James and George Richard Pain, bears no resemblance to the alleged original structure. The 16,000-square-foot mansion was constructed on an extravagant scale.
The estate was previously owned by Michael Alen-Buckley, a co-founder of London investment firm RAB Capital, and his wife Giancarla. They owned the property for 25 years and spent two decades restoring it before selling to Zuckerberg.
"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 Alen-Buckleys stated. "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."
A spokesperson for Zuckerberg confirmed the purchase, stating, "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 plan to use Strancally Castle as a secondary residence when conducting business in Ireland, where Meta has operated its international headquarters since 2009 and employs approximately 1,500 people. This purchase places Zuckerberg among other tech billionaires who have acquired Irish estates in recent years, including John Collison of Stripe and James Dyson.
This is not Zuckerberg's first attempt at acquiring Irish property; a previous effort to purchase Castlemartin House and Estate in County Kildare did not materialize.