[1] The gardens are almost completely surrounded by buildings making them less noticeable and a little hard to find, unlike other green spaces in Dublin.

[3] The Coburg Gardens provided the setting for a major riot in August 1835, during which several Orangemen were badly injured.

[8] The site was selected as the location for the Dublin Exhibition Palace and Winter Garden, which was officially opened by H.R.H.

In 1872, the site was used for an Exhibition of Irish arts and manufactures, however, this was not a success and the gardens reverted to private ownership.

The buildings were further adapted after the creation of University College Dublin (UCD), in 1908 and in 1918, the present façade to Earlsfort Terrace was erected to the designs of Rudolph Maximilian Butler.

On 17 May 1939 this gift was accepted by the Government and Éamon de Valera wrote to Rupert, Lord Iveagh.

[12] The OPW brief was under six distinct headings:[12] A major restoration of the gardens to return them to their original state commenced in 1992 and they opened again to the public in 1992.

[14] On 9 December 2020, the Memorial to Human Rights Defenders was inaugurated by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney T.D.