AMC Blog - Lycée Mona Ozouf de Ploërmel

Castles in Ireland, a new way of power

At first castles were built to intimidate, and to show how powerful and how much presence a person can have, when the Anglo-Normans arrived in Ireland, the rich (Anglo-Normans) wanted to show their prestige, their standing and their status through the construction of castles. They were symbols of hatred and division in Irish society for many generations but

there’s also rarity and architectural significance and history to these castles.

But now people all around the world want to buy one, why ? By The status they confer ( the castle became less defensive and practical but more “trendy”) the rich want to show their prestige, their standing and their status. The romantic aspect, being a princess and a prince in a castle. Also with Large estates in Ireland they offer privacy and security with swathes of land. Especially People with responsabilities in the county (even if they are not from it) Exemple : Mark Zuckerberg : He bought the castle apparently to get closer to Meta’s international headquarters based in Dublin ( but it’s not the first one)

Why is it problematic to give the castle to the US new inhabitant ? They want to “cut off “ the land. But it is important that historic sites (such as castles) are not excluded from their local communities (castles are important in how people in Ireland remember the past). They don’t have to become FULLY private (tourism…). They’re buying to a romantic notion of what Ireland was, not necessarily what Ireland is (all the historic past). They’re buying up places to create a romantic party pas so they can fly their billionaires friends in for the weekend.

Just as Ireland’s historic castles were once the ultimate symbols of wealth, now being bought up by the ultra-rich looking for prestige and physical assets a new kind of modern empire has taken root across the island. Today, the real power and fortune flowing through the country aren't built on stone and land, but on data and technology. Tech giants have transformed the nation's financial landscape to such an degree that Meta has become so crucial to Ireland's economy that the country is now alarmingly dependent on them.

Meta and Ireland: a special relationship

The facebook parent company has more than 2000 full-time employees and 80 teams in Dublin, Meath and Cork. The first Irish Meta office opened in 2009

The goal that Meta has established in Ireland is that: Ireland’s historically was low corporate tax rate, so they can access to EU market without paying its higher tax rates. But now Tech companies (such as Meta or Apple) have become such a big part of the Irish economy that they’re now alarmingly reliant on the income they bring

This reliance is highlighted in HBURTON's satirical cartoon, "Zuckerberg's Castle," which suggests that Ireland's economic dependence on Meta has given the tech giant total free rein—to the point where politicians turn a blind eye even when workers are reduced to "slaves." And the minister of entreprise Simon Coveney said that «on behalf of the government and IDA Ireland I wish Meta's team every success in its new home in dublin ».

Ultimately, the story of Ireland’s power landscape has come full circle—moving from the heavy stone fortresses of Anglo-Norman lords to the modern digital empires of Silicon Valley tech giants. Where wealthy elites once built and bought castles to project status, secure land, and assert control over the local population, today’s billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg buy those very same historic properties while wielding an entirely different form of power. Modern tech companies like Meta exert unprecedented control over the Irish economy, leaving the nation caught in a fragile dilemma: while these multinationals generate vital revenue and jobs, their immense influence leaves political leaders willing to grant them virtually unchecked authority. In the end, whether through physical stone or vast digital networks, Ireland finds itself grappling with the same ancient question: how to protect its sovereignty, heritage, and people from the overwhelming power of external elites.