American billionaire Mark Zuckerberg has purchased Strancally Castle and its surrounding estate in County Waterford, Ireland, expanding his global portfolio of luxury real estate.
The Irish Times reported that the Meta co-founder and his wife, Priscilla Chan, completed the off market deal in early August. The purchase price for the historic property was not disclosed, and the transaction is not yet reflected in Ireland's public property registry.
The 19th century mansion, constructed in the neo-Gothic style, stands on the banks of the Blackwater River. The purchase includes an adjacent estate spanning approximately 178 hectares, sold to the couple by previous owners Michael and Giancarla Alen-Buckley.
Zuckerberg, one of the world's wealthiest technology executives, co-founded Facebook in 2004 while studying at Harvard University. He serves as chief executive of Meta Platforms, the California based technology conglomerate that operates Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. He married Chan, a pediatrician and philanthropist, in 2012.
Historic estate on the Blackwater
County Waterford is located in the province of Munster in southeast Ireland. The Blackwater River, which flows through County Cork and County Waterford before entering the sea at Youghal, is historically famous for its scenic valley, salmon fishing, and historic country houses.
Neo-Gothic architecture developed during the 18th and 19th centuries as a revival of medieval Gothic design, featuring pointed arches, stone towers, and vaulted ceilings. Off market property sales in Ireland allow buyers and sellers to negotiate confidentially before conveyancing documents are submitted to the national Property Registration Authority.
Alaska maritime incident
The Irish estate acquisition follows recent reports regarding Zuckerberg's maritime assets. It was previously reported that his $300 million superyacht refused to assist a vessel in distress off the coast of Alaska.
That incident occurred on 3 August, when a six metre Hewescraft motorboat traveling from Petersburg to Juneau ran out of fuel near Kuiu Island, leaving the small craft stranded in coastal waters.
Juneau is the state capital of Alaska, situated in the Alexander Archipelago of Southeast Alaska alongside Petersburg and Kuiu Island. Hewescraft is an American boat builder that produces heavy gauge aluminum vessels used in Pacific Northwest and Alaskan coastal waters. Under international maritime standards, vessels at sea are expected to assist ships in distress when possible.
