Dunville Park was the first park in Belfast to be donated as a gift to the city. It was presented by Robert G Dunville to residents in 1891.

The Dunvilles were a wealthy family who were famous for their distillery, which was on the Grosvenor Road and produced Dunville Irish Whiskey.

Robert G Dunville was keen to contribute to Belfast’s development and, in addition to his donation of land, he also gave £5,000 towards the laying out of the park, more than £1,000 for railings and £665 for a Victorian fountain, designed by AE Pearce.

Dunville Park was officially opened in 1892 by the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava. During his speech, the Marquis referred to the benefits a new public park would bring to workers from the nearby distillery. He said that “the provision of such a park in an industrial area was symbolic of a new era when employers would think not only of the housing and sanitation of their workers but of their recreation as well”.