Dublin retired to the area in 1170. Malahide Castle, which dominates the area, was constructed after Henry II granted an extensive area of land north of Dublin to Sir Richard Talbot in 1176. The castle evolved from this, and remained in the hands of the Talbot family until 1976, aside from a short period where it was seized by Oliver Cromwell. There is an ancient covered well, St. Sylvester's, on the old main street (Old Street, previously Chapel Street), which used to have a "pattern" to Our Lady each 15 August. In 1475 Thomas Talbot, head of the Talbot family of Malahide Castle, was granted the title Admiral of the port of Malahide by King Edward IV, with power to hold admiralty courts and levy customs duties on all merchandise coming into the port. The office was hereditary, and the family's right to act as Admiral was confirmed by the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) in 1639. By the early 19th century, the village had a population of over 1000, and a number of local industries, including salt harvesting, while the harbour continued in commercial operation, with landings of coal and construction materials. By 1831, the population had reached 1223. The area grew in popularity in Georgian times as a seaside resort for wealthy Dublin city dwellers. This is still evident today from the fine collection of Georgian houses in the town and along the seafront, and Malahide is still a popular spot for day-trippers, especially in the summer months. In the 1960s, developers began to build housing estates around the village core of Malahide, launching the first, Ard na Mara, in 1964. Further estates followed, to the northwest, south and west, but the village core remained intact, with the addition of a "marina apartment complex" development, adjacent to the coastal village green. There are many shops and service outlets in the village core, including a small shopping centre, a supermarket, fashion boutiques, hair and beauty salons, florists, art galleries, book shops, food outlets, and a service station. There are multiple pubs (including Gibney's, Fowler's, Duffy's and Gilbert and Wright's), cafés and restaurants, and there is also the historic 203-room Grand Hotel. Malahide has the highest median household income of any large census town in Ireland, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Governance Malahide is part of the Dáil Éireann constituency of Dublin Fingal, whose five representatives, elected in 2020,