Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan donate €150,000 to three Irish GAA clubs: Why they chose these | Today’s news
Meta billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have donated €150,000 to three GAA clubs in West Waterford, Ireland, just months after the couple bought historic Strancally Castle and its 440-acre estate.
The pair chose Shamrocks GAA in Knockanore, Tallow GAA and Lismore GAA, with each club set to receive €50,000 over two years, according to multiple Irish media reports.
Donations will support projects ranging from coaching and player development to changing room upgrades, lighting, spectator facilities and community walkways.
Why did Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan choose these three GAA clubs?
The three clubs were chosen because they are among those closest to the couple’s new property at Strancally Castle.
A spokesperson for Zuckerberg and Chan told RTÉ News that the couple wanted to support local clubs after becoming new members of the Waterford community.
In a statement, the couple said: “The GAA is at the heart of communities across Ireland.”
“As new members of the Waterford community, we are proud to support these local clubs and the important role they play,” they added.
So the decision appears to be more to do with the couple’s association with the area than with the GAA’s wider nationwide funding initiative. Donations are targeted at clubs near their newly acquired headquarters in Waterford.
Shamrocks GAA: Donation to support fundraising
Shamrocks GAA in Knockanore will receive €50,000 from the couple.
Club secretary Tim Lenehan welcomed the donation, saying it would make a significant difference to the relatively small club’s fundraising efforts.
“We are delighted to receive this donation from Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan,” Lenehan said, according to The Irish Sun.
“Shamrocks is a small club and this donation will make a huge difference to our fundraising efforts,” he added.
The club plans to use the funds to support improvements, including improvements to the changing rooms.
GAA tallow: Training and new facilities for spectators
A donation of €50,000 is set for Tallow GAA to support player development and infrastructure.
GAA treasurer Kieran Geary said the donation was the largest one-off donation the club had received in its 139-year history, according to The Irish Sun.
“Our first priority is to invest in coaching and games, supporting the development of our players and teams at all levels,” Geary said.
The club also plans to use the money for capital projects, including asphalting its community footpath and building a spectator stand at Páirc Éamonn de Paor.
The planned improvements are intended to benefit not only players, but also people attending matches and other activities on the field.
Lismore GAA: Pitch side floodlights and fencing
The third recipient, Lismore GAA, plans to put its €50,000 towards upgrading facilities.
According to the club, the money will help with projects including proposed lighting and new pitch fencing.
Lismore GAA Secretary Emer Barry said the investment would help improve facilities for the wider community and future generations.
“This donation will help to develop our facilities, which in turn will benefit the community as a whole, especially for future generations,” Barry said, according to The Irish Sun.
She also welcomed the Zuckerberg-Chan family to West Waterford and said the club was proud to be recognized by the donation.
Zuckerberg’s purchase of Strancally Castle for 20-30 million euros
The donation comes after Zuckerberg bought Strancally Castle, a historic property on the banks of the River Blackwater, north of Youghal.
The castle sits on 440 acres of land. The price of the off-market transaction was not disclosed, although Irish media reports put it at around €20-30 million.
The current castle is about 4.5 km upstream from the ruins of the earlier Strancally Castle, which was one of several fortifications built in the area by the Desmond family.
How Zuckerberg plans to use Irish assets
Zuckerberg and Chan are expected to continue living in the United States, with Strancally Castle expected to serve as a base when the family is in Ireland.
The property could also be used as Zuckerberg trades for Meta in Ireland, where the tech company has a significant presence.
Read also | Mark Zuckerberg’s $20B Net Worth Wipeout: Is Meta’s AI Spending to Blame It?
