I DID NOT FIND THE STREET ART THAT I WAS SEARCHING FOR
In June 2014, I travelled to Limerick with the primary intention of tracking down and documenting the city's emerging street art scene during its year as National City of Culture. Overall, the excursion proved frustrating and largely unsuccessful, as locating specific urban artworks without precise local guidance was surprisingly difficult.
A prime example of this wild-goose chase was my arrival at Dock Road, where I had hoped to photograph an acclaimed large-scale pop-art intervention by Dublin artist Maser.
Radio House and Richmond Court
Looking down Dock Road towards the towering Riverpoint building, the prominent red-brick structure on the corner of Mount Kennett Place is Radio House, part of the wider Richmond Court complex. Purpose-built as the broadcasting headquarters for Limerick’s Live 95FM (Live 95), the station has operated from this location since 2000. High on its gable wall sits a distinctive white stylised Viking longboat sculpture, honouring the maritime heritage of the Shannon Estuary and Limerick’s Norse origins along the waterfront.
The Derelict Site and the Misplaced Mural
Directly adjacent to Radio House lay a weed-strewn derelict site enclosed by weathered blue timber hoarding. The footprint had originally operated as Top Garage, later functioning as an informal hand car wash before falling into total disuse.
I had made my way to this corner believing it was the canvas for Maser's vibrant geometric transformation of an abandoned filling station, curated under Catherine O'Halloran's Draw Out urban regeneration initiative. In reality, I was in the wrong part of town. Maser’s celebrated installation—titled "No. 27 – A Nod to Ed Ruscha"—had actually been executed across the city centre on Parnell Street near Colbert Station, where an abandoned Council-owned petrol station and two scrap cars were painted in dazzling primary colours.
Subsequent Redevelopment
The derelict Top Garage plot on Dock Road did not remain abandoned indefinitely. In early 2016, extensive groundworks began to clear the site for a modern, 24-hour service station and convenience shop. The location initially opened under the Topaz banner, was later rebranded as Circle K, and subsequently joined the network as the Top Oil Shannonbridge Service Station.
A prime example of this wild-goose chase was my arrival at Dock Road, where I had hoped to photograph an acclaimed large-scale pop-art intervention by Dublin artist Maser.
Radio House and Richmond Court
Looking down Dock Road towards the towering Riverpoint building, the prominent red-brick structure on the corner of Mount Kennett Place is Radio House, part of the wider Richmond Court complex. Purpose-built as the broadcasting headquarters for Limerick’s Live 95FM (Live 95), the station has operated from this location since 2000. High on its gable wall sits a distinctive white stylised Viking longboat sculpture, honouring the maritime heritage of the Shannon Estuary and Limerick’s Norse origins along the waterfront.
The Derelict Site and the Misplaced Mural
Directly adjacent to Radio House lay a weed-strewn derelict site enclosed by weathered blue timber hoarding. The footprint had originally operated as Top Garage, later functioning as an informal hand car wash before falling into total disuse.
I had made my way to this corner believing it was the canvas for Maser's vibrant geometric transformation of an abandoned filling station, curated under Catherine O'Halloran's Draw Out urban regeneration initiative. In reality, I was in the wrong part of town. Maser’s celebrated installation—titled "No. 27 – A Nod to Ed Ruscha"—had actually been executed across the city centre on Parnell Street near Colbert Station, where an abandoned Council-owned petrol station and two scrap cars were painted in dazzling primary colours.
Subsequent Redevelopment
The derelict Top Garage plot on Dock Road did not remain abandoned indefinitely. In early 2016, extensive groundworks began to clear the site for a modern, 24-hour service station and convenience shop. The location initially opened under the Topaz banner, was later rebranded as Circle K, and subsequently joined the network as the Top Oil Shannonbridge Service Station.