IS ANY STORY REALLY TRUE
THE MURAL AT FINDERS KEEPERS ON LITTLE PATRICK STREET [PHOTOGRAPHED AUGUST 2021]
The Finders Keepers Mural: Solving a Waterford Mystery
[Photographed August 2021]
For anyone who loves Waterford's vibrant street art scene, the colourful mural by Curtis Hylton on the street facing side of the old Finders Keepers shop on Little Patrick Street was a local favourite. Depicting a bright, nostalgic childhood beach scene, it was a splash of joy in the city.
Then, one day, the mural was partially destroyed by the installation of four new windows, leaving many to wonder why. It seemed odd, especially since the owners of Finders Keepers were known to have loved and encouraged the artwork on their wall. The story, as it turns out, is all about timing. Let's piece together the timeline of this much-loved shop and its famous wall.
A Happy Little Shop on Little Patrick Street
The story begins in 2017 when Lisa Connolly and Luke Marsh founded Finders Keepers, transforming a former butcher's shop into what they called "the happiest little place in all the land". Their shop became a treasure trove of unique gifts and homewares from small, independent Irish and European brands.
By the summer of 2020, they were well-established on Little Patrick Street. It was during this time, as part of the renowned Waterford Walls street art festival, that artist Curtis Hylton worked his magic on their large, windowless side wall. A blog post from a festival-goer on 21 July 2020 perfectly captures the moment:
"Nearby on Little Patrick St I set my eyes on a personal favourite. Curtis Hylton's masterpiece adorns the walls of the Finders Keepers store."
This confirms it: the beautiful mural was created in July 2020 right onto the wall of the operating shop. For over two years, the shop and the art were a single, iconic city landmark.
### A New Chapter on Michael Street
As their business grew, the team at Finders Keepers needed more space. Around September 2022, they made the big move to a larger premises at 13 Michael Street. This relocation allowed them to expand their online business and even build a dedicated photography studio.
It was this move that marked the end of their time on Little Patrick Street. Social media posts from late 2022 mention sadness about the shop "closing in Sept", which clearly refers to the closure of the original location, not the business itself. So, by autumn 2022, the Little Patrick Street building was empty.
A Tale Told by Street View
So, when did the windows appear? Without public planning documents to give us a date, a quick trip down the digital memory lane of Google Street View tells the rest of the story.
The "Before" State: Street View images captured between July 2020 and August 2022 consistently show the building with the beautiful, intact Curtis Hylton mural and no windows.
The "After" State: The very next available images, from May 2023, show the wall completely changed. The mural is partially gone, and four new windows have been installed.
The period of transformation is the gap between these two images. The renovation work took place sometime between late 2022 and early 2023.
### The Final Verdict: A Simple Timeline of Events
When you lay out the facts, the sequence of events becomes perfectly clear.
July 2020: Curtis Hylton paints his mural on the wall of the active Finders Keepers shop as part of the Waterford Walls festival.
September 2022: Finders Keepers finishes trading on Little Patrick Street and relocates to a bigger shop on Michael Street.
Post-September 2022: After the shop has moved out, the now-vacant building undergoes renovation, and the new property owner installs four windows, partially removing the mural in the process.
The conclusion is simple: the windows were installed after Finders Keepers had left the premises. The building's owner, not the shop's tenants, was responsible for the changes.
A Sign of Waterford's Changing Face
This story is more than just about one wall; it reflects a broader pattern of urban redevelopment across Waterford. The transformation of a commercial façade with a mural into a structure with windows suggests the building was being repurposed, most likely for residential use. This kind of private redevelopment mirrors the city's wider ambitions to revitalise the urban centre, repurposing historic properties to meet new housing and economic demands.
The loss of a piece of public art is always a little sad, but it is also a sign of a city that is constantly evolving.
The Finders Keepers Mural: Solving a Waterford Mystery
[Photographed August 2021]
For anyone who loves Waterford's vibrant street art scene, the colourful mural by Curtis Hylton on the street facing side of the old Finders Keepers shop on Little Patrick Street was a local favourite. Depicting a bright, nostalgic childhood beach scene, it was a splash of joy in the city.
Then, one day, the mural was partially destroyed by the installation of four new windows, leaving many to wonder why. It seemed odd, especially since the owners of Finders Keepers were known to have loved and encouraged the artwork on their wall. The story, as it turns out, is all about timing. Let's piece together the timeline of this much-loved shop and its famous wall.
A Happy Little Shop on Little Patrick Street
The story begins in 2017 when Lisa Connolly and Luke Marsh founded Finders Keepers, transforming a former butcher's shop into what they called "the happiest little place in all the land". Their shop became a treasure trove of unique gifts and homewares from small, independent Irish and European brands.
By the summer of 2020, they were well-established on Little Patrick Street. It was during this time, as part of the renowned Waterford Walls street art festival, that artist Curtis Hylton worked his magic on their large, windowless side wall. A blog post from a festival-goer on 21 July 2020 perfectly captures the moment:
"Nearby on Little Patrick St I set my eyes on a personal favourite. Curtis Hylton's masterpiece adorns the walls of the Finders Keepers store."
This confirms it: the beautiful mural was created in July 2020 right onto the wall of the operating shop. For over two years, the shop and the art were a single, iconic city landmark.
### A New Chapter on Michael Street
As their business grew, the team at Finders Keepers needed more space. Around September 2022, they made the big move to a larger premises at 13 Michael Street. This relocation allowed them to expand their online business and even build a dedicated photography studio.
It was this move that marked the end of their time on Little Patrick Street. Social media posts from late 2022 mention sadness about the shop "closing in Sept", which clearly refers to the closure of the original location, not the business itself. So, by autumn 2022, the Little Patrick Street building was empty.
A Tale Told by Street View
So, when did the windows appear? Without public planning documents to give us a date, a quick trip down the digital memory lane of Google Street View tells the rest of the story.
The "Before" State: Street View images captured between July 2020 and August 2022 consistently show the building with the beautiful, intact Curtis Hylton mural and no windows.
The "After" State: The very next available images, from May 2023, show the wall completely changed. The mural is partially gone, and four new windows have been installed.
The period of transformation is the gap between these two images. The renovation work took place sometime between late 2022 and early 2023.
### The Final Verdict: A Simple Timeline of Events
When you lay out the facts, the sequence of events becomes perfectly clear.
July 2020: Curtis Hylton paints his mural on the wall of the active Finders Keepers shop as part of the Waterford Walls festival.
September 2022: Finders Keepers finishes trading on Little Patrick Street and relocates to a bigger shop on Michael Street.
Post-September 2022: After the shop has moved out, the now-vacant building undergoes renovation, and the new property owner installs four windows, partially removing the mural in the process.
The conclusion is simple: the windows were installed after Finders Keepers had left the premises. The building's owner, not the shop's tenants, was responsible for the changes.
A Sign of Waterford's Changing Face
This story is more than just about one wall; it reflects a broader pattern of urban redevelopment across Waterford. The transformation of a commercial façade with a mural into a structure with windows suggests the building was being repurposed, most likely for residential use. This kind of private redevelopment mirrors the city's wider ambitions to revitalise the urban centre, repurposing historic properties to meet new housing and economic demands.
The loss of a piece of public art is always a little sad, but it is also a sign of a city that is constantly evolving.