Mark Zuckerberg.RollingNews.ie
He built a tech empire from his Harvard dorm room and became one of the world’s richest men – but Mark Zuckerberg is now swapping Silicon Valley for a rather more traditional kind of kingdom.
The Meta boss, 41, has splashed out on Strancally Castle, a spectacular Gothic Revival estate perched above the River Blackwater in West Waterford, joining a growing list of rich and famous names who have fallen for Ireland’s fairytale properties.
Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, completed the off-market purchase several weeks ago, according to reports, buying the 440-acre estate from previous owners Michael and Giancarla Alen-Buckley, who spent around two decades restoring the historic property. The price has not been disclosed, although the estate is understood to have been capable of fetching somewhere between €20 million and €30 million.
A spokesperson for the couple said they were excited to continue caring for the historic home and looked forward to spending time in Ireland, where Meta has its international headquarters.
The family is expected to retain their main home in the US, with Strancally set to provide a luxurious Irish base when business or family life brings them across the Atlantic.
Mark Zuckerberg purchased the 200 year old Strancally Castle on the banks of the River Blackwater, in Co. Waterford. Photo shows a tower feature on River Blackwater. The castle is hidden to the right, behind the trees. (RollingNews.ie)
Meta has maintained a major presence in Dublin for years, making Zuckerberg’s new Waterford retreat a particularly convenient bolt hole.
And it seems the billionaire has developed something of a taste for Ireland’s grandest properties.
Last year, it emerged that Zuckerberg had been linked with a bid for Castlemartin House in Co Kildare, the estate associated with fellow billionaire John Malone.
Now, he has secured a spectacular Irish estate of his own, and he’ll have some seriously wealthy neighbours.
Just a short distance away is Ballynatray House, the grand Waterford estate bought by British billionaire James Dyson in 2024. The 850-acre property changed hands for €29.25 million according to the Property Price Register, with Dyson subsequently securing planning permission for a helicopter landing area on the estate.
But Zuckerberg and Dyson are far from the only famous names to have fallen under Ireland’s castle spell.
Jeremy Irons — Kilcoe Castle
Kilcoe Castle in Co. Cork. (Shutterstock)
Hollywood star Jeremy Irons is one of Ireland’s best-known celebrity castle owners.
The Oscar-winning actor bought Kilcoe Castle in West Cork with his wife, actress Sinéad Cusack, in 1998 and spent years restoring the medieval tower house. Irons has spoken openly about the restoration, which transformed the ruined property into a remarkable family home.
He later revealed that he had even bought a tiny island next to the castle, complete with a cottage.
The actor has described spending more time farming than acting in recent years, making his West Cork estate more than just a holiday home.
Enya — Manderley Castle
Enya. (Getty Images)
Then there’s Irish music icon Enya, who has owned one of the country’s most famous castellated homes for almost three decades.
The singer bought Manderley Castle, formerly known as Victoria Castle, in Killiney in 1997.
The imposing Victorian property overlooks the Irish Sea and sits behind substantial walls and security measures. Enya renamed it Manderley after the fictional estate in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.
The singer reportedly outbid fellow Irish star Michael Flatley when she bought the property, although Flatley would soon get a castle of his own.
Michael Flatley — Castlehyde
Michael Flatley. (RollingNews.ie)
The Lord of the Dance star poured millions into the restoration of Castlehyde in Co Cork, a grand Georgian estate with historic links to Douglas Hyde, Ireland’s first president.
Flatley transformed the property after buying it and embarked on an extensive restoration, turning the historic estate into one of the country’s best-known celebrity homes.
Dominic West — Glin Castle
Glin Castle. (Facebook)
Hollywood star Dominic West has perhaps the most romantic castle story of them all.
West and his wife, Catherine FitzGerald, are closely associated with Glin Castle in Co Limerick, Catherine’s ancestral family home.
Dominic West and wife Catherine Fitzgerald. (RollingNews.ie)
After the castle failed to sell at auction, Catherine and West acquired it to keep the historic property within the family. They have since used it as both a family home and a venue.
The castle has also attracted some seriously famous visitors, with names including Taylor Swift and Mick Jagger having been linked to stays at the estate.
Denis O’Brien — Ballynahinch Castle
Ballynahinch Castle in Co Galway. (Tourism Ireland)
Businessman Denis O’Brien and his wife Catherine are behind another famous Irish castle property, Ballynahinch Castle in Connemara.
The historic estate now operates as a luxury 48-bedroom hotel set across hundreds of acres, combining its castle heritage with a modern hospitality business.
JP McManus — Adare Manor
Adare Manor in Co Limerick. (Ireland's Content Pool)
And then there is JP McManus, who took the castle lifestyle to another level when he and his family bought Adare Manor in Co Limerick in 2015.
The five-star hotel and golf resort was reportedly acquired for around €30 million, before undergoing a huge refurbishment.
The investment looks particularly timely now, with Adare Manor preparing to host the 2027 Ryder Cup, one of the biggest sporting events ever staged in Ireland.
And then there’s Chris de Burgh…
Chris de Burgh. (Getty Images)
Singer Chris de Burgh has perhaps the most unusual connection to an Irish castle; he actually grew up in one.
His family moved into Bargy Castle in Co Wexford when he was 12 after his grandfather bought the property. The crumbling castle was subsequently turned into a family hotel, and the young Chris performed for guests there as he began developing his musical talents.
Bargy Castle in County Wexford. (David Hawgood/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)
He has since described those years as hugely influential on his career, with his debut album Far Beyond These Castle Walls even taking its name from the property.
So while Zuckerberg may have started out building a kingdom online, his latest acquisition suggests he has now found a rather more old-fashioned one.
Turrets, 440 acres and the River Blackwater – not quite the metaverse, but not a bad second home.
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.