Mark Zuckerberg Buys a 440-Acre Irish Estate in County Waterford
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan have acquired Strancally Castle and its 440-acre estate in County Waterford, Ireland, as their base for visits to the country.
He becomes the third technology billionaire to purchase a large Irish country estate since 2021, joining John Collison of Stripe and James Dyson.
The price remains undisclosed, but sources suggest it falls between €20 million and €30 million.
This is not Zuckerberg’s first foray into Irish real estate; Meta, the company he founded, has a significant presence in Dublin, where it routes much of its non-US business and is subject to Irish data protection regulations.
The timing of the purchase may be notable, as a whistleblower trial against Meta is ongoing, with allegations that Zuckerberg misled the public about the company’s child safety efforts.
Strancally Castle, built in 1830, boasts a gothic architecture and a substantial size, with a dining room and kitchen separated by a 4.5-minute walk.
The previous owners, Michael Alen-Buckley and his wife Giancarla, restored the property in the early 2000s and expressed relief that it will be well-maintained.
This personal acquisition highlights a growing trend: American tech platform founders’ private wealth is increasingly concentrated in Ireland, where their companies operate, are taxed, and are regulated.
This raises questions about Ireland’s ability to enforce data protection regulations effectively on companies employing thousands of Irish citizens.