Seaboard sculpture trail 'Merman' gets the go-ahead as councillors hail Easter Ross vision
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PLANS to extend a popular Easter Ross sculpture trail with the addition of a ‘Merman’ – or Seaboard Selkie – have been approved.
The Seaboard Memorial Hall lodged an application seeking consent in May, hoping to add the new artwork to its iconic Seaboard Sculpture Trail.
The Mermaid of the North is already a major attraction. The plan is for the feature to sit in a proposed seating area near the Seaboard Centre.
The mermaid’s origins are deep-rooted in Easter Ross folklore. According to a tale, a fisherman took the mermaid to be his wife and hid her tail.
Years later, after bearing his children, she found her tail and escaped back to sea, returning regularly to the shore to bring fish to her hungry children.
The proposed ‘merman’ is said to be steeped in the mythology of Scotland’s northern isles. Commonly referred to as a ‘selkie’ – meaning ‘seal folk’ – the creatures are said to live as seals in the sea before shedding their skin to become human beings on land.
A north area planning committee meeting of Highland Council this week heard concerns about the impact on traffic and parking but these were dismissed after debate.
Tain and Easter Ross councillor Alasdair Rhind praised staff and volunteers at the Seaboard Memorial Hall for “much of the good that is done in the area”.
He said he saw no problem with the proposal and that concerns over a nearby junction are protected by the Highway Code. He said it was an added attraction for the area adding to the nationwide lure of the mermaid.
Councillor Angela MacLean (Dingwall and Seaforth) said: “I don’t see any big issue with this. When |I’ve gone to look at the mermaid it has never been that busy. I think this is a good way of tidying up that area.”
Councillor Maxine Smith (Cromarty Firth) also supported the proposal pointing to the popularity of the mermaid with cruise passengers. She said: “I think this would be a nice addition.”
The proposal was approved by the committee.
Seaboard Centre representative Maureen Ross said before: "Legends, as opposed to fictional myths, contain a seed of truth. They are born from historical events, people or real-life moments that become part of our collective cultural context. The merman (selkie) is one such legend.
"Many seamen have claimed to have seen them, but as these stories evolved and have been passed from generation to generation, they picked up details that can twist and colour the truth, making legends even more memorable, relatable and entertaining.
"We saw the opportunity of using this maritime folklore to our advantage. From the proposed seating area many a seal can be spotted – or perhaps it might just be a selkie. Who knows?"
"The application is to enable the Seaboard community to complete what was set out 20 years ago, when the idea was instigated by the Seaboard Initiative. Their committee was represented by local groups including the community council, and all were unanimous in support of each project and planning was gained for a feature on the exact same site."
