Mark Zuckerberg buys sprawling estate and historic castle in rural West Waterford

Mark Zuckerberg has held a long-standing interest in building a property portfolio in Ireland, having previously made offers to buy the Castlemartin House in Kildare, according to Liberty Media owner John Malone. Picture: AP/David Zalubowski

Meta’s billionaire chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly purchased Strancally Castle in Co Waterford with his wife Priscilla Chan.

The gothic-style, 440-acre estate is located on the banks of the river Blackwater, near the village of Knockanroe in West Waterford. 

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for Mark Zuckerberg said: “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.” 

It's understood that the estate will be used as Zuckerberg's base of operations while in Ireland, but that he will continue to live in the United States with his family. 

Private investment firm owners Michael and Giancarla Alen Buckley previously purchased the property 25 years ago.

According to the Irish Times,the price paid by Mr Zuckerberg is currently unknown.

The castle is a 30-minute drive from Youghal in East Cork. The castle will also be located a short distance away from Ballynatray House, the sprawling estate owned by fellow billionaire  James Dyson.

The social media magnate has held a long-standing interest in building a property portfolio in Ireland. Last year, Liberty Media billionaire owner John Malone told the Wall Street Journal the Meta chief had offered to buy his Castlemartin House and Estate in Kildare. 

Ireland remains a key market for Meta. Its international headquarters are located in Dublin. Its Reality Labs division is located in Cork and it operates a data centre in Clonee, Co Meath. Meta employs approximatley 1,500 people across 80 teams in Ireland.