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Leiths donate granite to Cove in Bloom for their ambitious Marble Statue Project

Leiths 

Evening Express 07.06.17 [extract]

Plans have been lodged to give a statue, celebrating the fishing heritage in Cove, a permanent home.

If approved, proposals will see a statue of the last traditional fishwife, Isie Caie, situated on Bunstane Terrace. Fisherwoman Isie Caie is known as the last fishwife of Aberdeen and has become an integral part of Cove’s folklore. She would be regularly spotted walking into Aberdeen from Cove carrying a creel loaded with fish on her back to sell. According to legend, it would take two men to lift the heavy creel of fish on to Isie’s back as she made her journey into Aberdeen to sell her wares at the market. She died in 1966 and was buried in Nigg Kirkyard.

Cove in Bloom commissioned Brazilian sculptor Albertino Costa to carve marble into a statue last year.

Wendy Suttar, from Cove in Bloom, said: “The sculpture will hopefully be on the road that Isie Caie lived if we get planning permission approved. The land was available and our thoughts are Isie Caie would be facing out to sea to commemorate the fishing heritage of old Cove. Leiths Quarry has also donated the granite for the base that the statue would stand on and we want to thank them for the donation.  It is hoped that we would be able to get an information board at a later date.”

Cove in Bloom issued a £20,000 appeal more than three years ago for the statue and have £5,000 left to raise.

Wendy added: “We think the statue could be finished sometime in July or August and would hope to have an event to commemorate the opening if we get planning approval. We first had this idea around five years ago and now we really are on the home straight. It is great to celebrate the history and heritage of the area.”