Mark Zuckerberg gives €150,000 to GAA clubs near his new Irish castle estate

​Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan bought a 440-acre castle estate in Ireland for $30 million a few months ago. At that time, a spokesperson for the couple 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.” Now, the Facebook founder is donating €150,000 (nearly $165,000) to three local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) clubs near the property. This donation marks the couple’s first philanthropic donation in Ireland since buying Strancally Castle in County Waterford.​Zuckerberg and Chan will give €50,000 each to Shamrocks GAA, Tallow GAA and Lismore GAA, with the donations paid over two years. The three clubs are the closest GAA clubs to the castle. A spokesperson for Zuckerberg said the couple were “aware of the very significant role that the GAA plays in local communities in Ireland” and, as new members of the community, “wanted to support” the clubs.​

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s first Irish donation

​According to a report by BBC, the three clubs welcome the donation, which they plan to use for facilities, youth development and community projects.​Tallow GAA, the oldest of the three, was founded in 1887. Club treasurer Kieran Geary said he contacted people connected to Zuckerberg after news of the castle purchase and asked about possible sponsorship. After hearing nothing at first, club secretary Lyndsey Murphy received a call from Zuckerberg’s team.​“Initially we were a bit taken a back, was it actually legitimate? And from there things moved fast with Mark’s legal team, who were fantastic to deal with,” Geary said.​The club plans to first invest the donation in its underage teams before supporting adult teams and coaching. It also plans to improve accessibility around its community walkway.​

GAA clubs plan upgrades

​Shamrocks GAA, which has more than 200 members, plans to use its share to improve facilities including changing rooms and develop its underage section.​Club secretary Tim Lenehan said he initially thought the offer was a joke.​“I honestly thought initially it was someone pulling my leg, but we let it evolve and did a bit of checking ourselves and it seemed to be legitimate enough,” he said.​He said fundraising is difficult for a small club because the same local supporters are often approached repeatedly.​“We are a very small club, just over 200 members, so obviously fundraising is a hard issue enough because you are usually tapping up the same people all the time for different things, so this is very welcome,” Lenehan added.​Lismore GAA, established in 1897, plans to put its €50,000 towards projects including proposed floodlighting, pitch-side fencing and a community walkway.​Club secretary Emer Barry said the donation had come as a surprise. He said, “It’s just shock and disbelief. It is hard out figure out at the moment, what’s happening and where things are going.”​

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s 440-acre Irish castle

​Zuckerberg and Chan bought Strancally Castle earlier this year. The Gothic property in County Waterford was built around 1830 for former Tory MP John Keily and was designed by architects James and George Richard Pain.​The castle has a long history and was built on the site of an earlier Desmond castle. Its history includes accounts of a “murderous device” involving a so-called murder-hole overlooking the river.​The Whitelocke-Lloyd family later acquired the property before the Irish Land Commission sold much of its land in the mid-20th century.​The castle was subsequently renovated by its previous owners, Michael Alen-Buckley and his wife Giancarla. The property has also hosted events linked to the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival.​The Zuckerberg-Chan family will now be among the newest members of the local community, with the couple’s first Irish donation going to three clubs near their new home.