Inside Mark Zuckerberg's 440-Acre Irish Castle Linked To A Chilling Murder Legend

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has added a huge piece of Irish history to his estate, buying a 440-acre castle in Ireland. Zuckerberg purchased Strancally Castle from Michael and Giancarla Alen-Buckley in a deal worth between €20 million and €30 million.

Built around 1827 to 1830 for former Tory MP John Keily, the grand estate may look like something from a storybook, but it also has a dark past. The land where the castle stands was once linked to a frightening story about a “murderous device” used to trap and kill people.

Mark Zuckerberg's 440-Acre Irish Castle Is Linked To A Murder Legend

Author William Howitt mentioned the site in his 1847 book, Homes and Haunts of the Most Eminent British Poets.

He wrote, “A few miles above the sea, on a bold cliff overhanging one of the deepest parts of the beautiful river Blackwater, stand the battered remains of the earl's castle of Strancally. Attached to this strong-hold is a murderous device.”

“The solid rock had been pierced with a large well-like aperture, communicating with the river; and the neighbouring peasants will tell you, that the unwary, when decoyed within the castle, were tied hand and foot, and Hung down the murder-hole-the rapid river hurried by, and soon carried away their gasping shrieks, and the dead told no tales.”

William Howitt did not fully believe the story and thought it was most likely a local legend.

Present-Day Strancally Castle

The present day Strancally Castle was designed by architects James and George Richard Pain. Michael Alen Buckley, who helped start London based investment firm RAB Capital, bought the estate around 25 years ago with his wife.

Mark Zuckerberg's newest property spans three storeys. It is a cut-stone Gothic Revival mansion in County Waterford, situated about 150 km southwest of Dublin. It reportedly features 11 bedrooms, a marble fireplace, and a cantilevered staircase.

While its Gothic-style windows add a dramatic touch to its stone facade, its expansive corridors make it look straight out of a fairy tale. Perched high on a bend in the River Blackwater, the castle is surrounded by sprawling lawns and dense, mature trees.

A spokesperson for Alen Buckley's family told The Irish Times, “We leave our home of 25 years fondly and are grateful for the opportunity we have been given to save and restore Strancally Castle. 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. We wish them and their family much happiness in this unique and blessed place”.

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife are expected to stay mostly in their primary home in the United States. They plan to use Strancally Castle when they visit Ireland, where Meta has its European headquarters.

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