Town Park Archway 1895
On 3 September 1894
a special meeting was held by Dungarvan Town Commissioners consider adopting
the 'Parks Act'. 'We the Town Commissioners in special meeting assembled do
determine to establish a Public Park for the use and enjoyment of the people of
Dungarvan, that we take steps to acquire land and that we apply portion of the
grant of the late Captain William Gibbons towards carrying out the subject
matter of this resolution’. Captain
Gibbons lived nearby in Church Street and died on 14 December 1894 age 67. In
his will he left a bequest of £1,750 to the townspeople for the creation of a
park, improvements at the lookout and for a park at Ringnasilloge (the latter
project was never carried out).
On 6 September 1894
John Walsh proposed at a meeting of Dungarvan Town Commissioners that
they: 'establish and maintain a Public park'. at a meeting some weeks
later, the Commissioners agreed to the establishment of a park. On 18 October
the clerk was ordered to write to various landowners to enquire what sum they
required for six to nineteen acres of land. A deputation was appointed to visit
one of the sites for the proposed park. This was situated at Jacknell Street,
now called Park Terrace, on an elevated site overlooking the bay. The
Commissioners appointed Michael Beary, the Borough Surveyor to design the site.
On 2 November 1894 the Commissioners decided to place an advert in the Waterford
Star indicating their intention to establish a park.
An archway was erected as an entrance
to the park. It had an inscribed plaque with decorative limestone surrounds. At
the commissioner’s meeting of June 1895, the following inscription was ordered
to be placed over the arch:
These grounds were acquired and ornamented, and the bathing place
adjoining improved by the Town commissioners with portions of a bequest of
£1,760 left them for specific improvement on the 13th December 1894 by William
Gibbons, Dungarvan.
Trustees: Rev.Denis Whelan, St.John's
College ; Edmond Keohan, Chairman Town Commissioners ; William Evans, National
Bank, Dungarvan. ; Contractor: George Stokes, Dungarvan ; Engineer: Michael
Beary B.S., Dungarvan ; Thomas McCarthy, Town Clerk.
The Condemned Slab in the Town Park