A huge catch at Cramond Beach

A Ronald Rae fish sculpture that has been given a permanent home on Cramond Beach was officially unveiled recently.

The good weather attracted hundreds of people to the shore to celebrate this new landmark as it was lifted into place by crane.

Cramond community council campaigned to raise funds for the fish and with help from village residents, the Cramond Association and a community grant fund from the Neighbourhood Partnership, they reached £35,000 to purchase it.

“We’re overwhelmed by the response of the community,” said Pauline McDonald, Ronald Rae’s exhibition organiser. “It’s been really positive and, as Ronald Rae said at the unveiling, it is the community who now own the fish.”

Created by Rae in 2000, the 81⁄2 tonne sculpture took eight months to carve from Aberdeenshire Corrennie granite. Rae found the stone in the quarry upside down with its head in a pool of water and immediately envisioned it as a fish. It has previously featured in exhibitions at the National History Museum in London, York, Holyrood Park and the Falkirk Wheel.

Ronald Rae, who lives in Cramond, has carved his granite animal sculptures behind Cramond Kirk for more than 20 years.

“People relate to Ronald’s granite statues,” said Pauline. “People are responding well to the fish. It is now in a wonderful setting and the backdrop changes all the time with the tide levels, beautiful colours from the light change, so the sculpture always looks different.”