分类： society

In recent weeks, news that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has acquired the historic Strancally Castle in Ireland’s County Waterford has reignited public curiosity about a long-running trend: the consistent flow of high-net-worth and celebrity buyers snapping up ancient castles across the Irish island.

Zuckerberg is far from the first prominent name to join the ranks of Irish castle owners. Decades before his purchase, Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons bought Kilcoe Castle in County Cork, launching a multi-decade renovation project after he grew tired of constant acting work in the late 1990s. American media billionaire John Malone owns the expansive Castlemartin House and Estate in County Kildare, while author and filmmaker Christy Cashman holds the deed to County Kildare’s Kilkea Castle. Even Hollywood star Dominic West, famous for his role in *The Crown*, and his wife Catherine FitzGerald own Glin Castle in County Limerick, adding another A-lister to the list.

For Zuckerberg, practical considerations play a clear role in the purchase. Meta has maintained its international headquarters in Ireland for years, and a spokesperson for the executive confirmed that he and his family are eager to become stewards of the historic property and spend regular time in the country.

To understand why so many wealthy people are drawn to Irish castles, experts point to a mix of historical, cultural, and practical factors. First, the unique heritage of these structures traces back more than 800 years. Dr. Colin Breen, an archaeology and landscape management scholar at Ulster University, explains that Irish castles first emerged in the 12th century with the arrival of Anglo-Norman invaders, who built the fortifications to secure and control the colonial lands they seized. “They were built to intimidate, but they were also an expression of power and presence,” Breen notes, marking a permanent, radical shift in Irish architectural history. Today, that deep layered history is a core part of their appeal.

Since the 20th century, Breen explains, wealthy international buyers — particularly Americans — have been drawn to castles as a way to connect to an idealized vision of Irish history and heritage. Josh Pim, associate director of the residential and country estates team at global property firm Savills, echoes this observation, noting that many American buyers have Irish ancestral roots that make owning a piece of the country’s historic landscape particularly meaningful. “There’s a rarity and architectural significance and history to these castles,” Pim says, adding that the appeal stretches far beyond the U.S., with strong demand from wealthy buyers across the globe.

Helen Cassidy, an auctioneer who specializes in castle sales, describes a widespread “thirst” for these properties among international buyers, many of whom become deeply attached to the unique story and character of individual castles once they learn their history. Beyond the romantic appeal of heritage, Pim points out that large Irish castle estates also offer something highly sought after by ultra-wealthy buyers: unmatched privacy and security, thanks to the vast tracts of land that typically come with the properties.

Yet the trend also raises legitimate concerns among experts. Breen points out that the growing tendency for new owners to close off large estates to the public creates two key problems. First, it blocks public access to land that could be managed to support climate change adaptation and ecological conservation efforts. Second, he argues, castles hold a complicated, important place in Irish collective memory: for generations, they were visible symbols of colonial division and inequality, and locking them away entirely severs their connection to local communities. “They have a responsibility by buying into these places, these places cannot become billionaire ideals,” Breen stresses.

That said, Breen also leaves room for positive outcomes: if new owners work openly with Irish heritage authorities and local communities, their investment and stewardship can help preserve these important historic sites for future generations. Beyond preservation, status also remains a quiet driver of demand today. Breen explains that as feudalism gave way to early capitalism, castles evolved from defensive fortifications into status symbols, where wealthy families displayed their social standing through ownership of these grand historic properties. In many ways, the modern trend follows the same pattern: owning a one-of-a-kind Irish castle remains a powerful marker of wealth and influence for today’s global elite.

Local authorities have welcomed Zuckerberg’s purchase, however. A spokesperson for Waterford City and County Council noted that the news is both welcome and unsurprising, given the unrivaled natural beauty of the Blackwater Valley where Strancally Castle is located. “We hope that Mr Zuckerberg and his family fully enjoy all that Waterford has to offer,” the spokesperson said.

A violent attack at a central Swedish secondary school has left one person dead and two minors with severe injuries, triggering a large emergency response and an ongoing criminal investigation, law enforcement and local officials confirmed Friday.

The incident unfolded shortly after noon at Brinell School, located in Fagersta — a small town around 100 miles northwest of Sweden’s capital Stockholm. At the time of the attack, regular classes were in session for the campus’ 400 to 500 enrolled students.

Speaking at a official press briefing shortly after the incident, local police chief Tommy Alriksson confirmed that the 18-year-old male suspect was taken into custody minutes after first responders arrived. Authorities confirmed that shots were discharged by responding officers during the arrest, but the suspect was not harmed in the encounter. He is currently in police custody and has not required hospital treatment.

As of Friday evening, investigators have not confirmed a possible motive for the attack, and have ruled out the presence of additional attackers. “We have no reason at this time to believe that there are multiple perpetrators,” Alriksson stated, adding that the full investigation is still in its early stages.

Sweden’s national police force confirmed that investigators have already completed two targeted house searches connected to the suspect, and plan to interview dozens of witnesses over the coming days. Alriksson noted that investigators would not release additional details about the case at this stage to avoid compromising witness testimony.

According to Sweden’s national news agency TT, the two seriously injured victims are male minors between the ages of 12 and 17, matching the age range of students at the secondary school. Officials have not released any identifying information about the deceased victim as of Friday evening.

Following the attack, a wide perimeter around Brinell School was cordoned off by law enforcement, and all nearby campuses were placed under immediate lockdown as a precaution. Roadblocks were also set up on major access routes around Fagersta to support the response effort.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson addressed the attack in a post on the X social media platform Friday afternoon, noting that the violence came just days after the end of the country’s summer school break. “We do not yet know what lies behind the act, but we know that the police are working very intensively,” Kristersson wrote. “Our thoughts are with all those affected.”

Local authorities have activated emergency support systems for the community: the Fagersta municipal government opened a crisis support center at a nearby sports arena, where affected students, family members, and staff can access mental health support and practical assistance. The Vastmanland County government confirmed that emergency services including police, fire crews, and medical personnel remain on site to support response and care efforts.

This report includes contributions from Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui based in London.

BERLIN – A chaotic roadside incident unfolded in northern Germany on Friday when a loose donkey named Freddy launched a sudden aggressive attack on two motorists, leaving three people injured before the animal’s owner stepped in to stop the outburst.

Local law enforcement from Cuxhaven, a coastal German city where the encounter took place just south of the town limits, confirmed the unusual sequence of events in an official public statement. The trouble began when members of the public spotted Freddy the donkey and a companion horse wandering freely through a busy roundabout in Holssel, a small community located in the area.

Concerned about the safety risks of having large unrestrained animals on a major traffic intersection, two motorists made the decision to step in and attempt to contain the stray donkey. But their intervention was met with an unprovoked hostile reaction: according to police accounts, Freddy immediately became extremely aggressive, and in an unexpected move, leaped directly into the motorists’ parked van. Once inside the vehicle, the animal lashed out, striking and biting the two drivers.

A 33-year-old local woman who saw the attack unfolding rushed over to help subdue the out-of-control equine, but she too was caught in Freddy’s aggression. Following the incident, emergency responders transported the woman to a local hospital for mandatory medical care, while the two original motorists only walked away with minor cuts and bruises that did not require extended hospital treatment.

To date, authorities have not been able to pinpoint what triggered the donkey’s sudden violent outburst. Investigators with Cuxhaven police note that the root cause of Freddy’s aggressive behavior remains undetermined, with no final conclusions released as of the latest update.

A devastating overnight fire has completely destroyed a mixed-use building combining a restaurant and residential apartments in the Swiss Alpine town of Thusis, leaving five people unaccounted for and eight others injured, regional law enforcement confirmed Friday.

Graubünden Cantonal Police, the leading authority on the incident, reported that emergency services received the first alert about the blaze shortly after midnight local time, which corresponds to 22:00 GMT on Thursday. Initial on-site assessments have traced the origin of the fire to the building’s second floor, though investigators have not yet determined what sparked the incident. The official investigation into the cause is being conducted jointly by cantonal police and the local public prosecutor’s office.

Nearly 100 firefighters from across the region were deployed to battle the fast-spreading inferno. First responders faced significant structural complications during the operation: the building’s main stairwell collapsed early in the response effort, forcing crews to use a crane to access and open the collapsed roof to extinguish remaining hotspots.

Of the 14 people who managed to escape the burning structure before it was completely destroyed, eight required medical attention for fire-related injuries. According to police, the injuries range in severity: two people are in serious condition, two have moderate wounds, and four suffered minor injuries. All injured individuals have been transported to hospitals across multiple regions, including facilities in Chur, Thusis, Ilanz, and Zurich for treatment.

Thusis is located within Graubünden, also widely known by its alternative name Grisons, which sits in eastern Switzerland. The region is one of the country’s most popular holiday destinations, drawing visitors year-round for world-class winter skiing and snowboarding, as well as summer hiking, mountain climbing, and other outdoor nature activities.

As of the latest update, search and rescue teams continue to comb through the charred rubble of the building to locate the five missing residents and visitors.