Mowi lends saint a helping hand

The island of Barra, in the Outer Hebrides, is named after the Irish saint, Barr (also known as Finbar). The statue of St Barr, installed in the 1970s, is now crumbling and needs extensive restoration.

Mowi provided both a vessel and crew to facilitate the removal of the existing statue from the island and supplied concrete to upgrade the plinth for the new statue, which is scheduled to arrive later this year.

Using the workboat Mowi Supporter and its derrick, the remnants of the current St Barr statue were transported from the island, marking the first time the statue has left since its installation. 

Mowi said: “Mowi are proud to play our part in the Barra community and shout out to farm manager James and his team for volunteering to help.”

The original statue, designed by Margaret Somerville, who passed away in 2018, was crafted from concrete around a steel structure and depicted the saint holding a shepherd’s crook.

After 50 years, prolonged exposure to Hebridean weather and marine conditions have resulted in significant deterioration. Although the fundraising campaign began in July 2024 with an anticipated duration of several years, the financial goal was met promptly.

The community group has commissioned sculptor Stephen Tinney, who has family connections to Barra, to use the original sculpture as inspiration for the new statue and increase its size by 50% for enhanced visibility from the shore. He will collaborate with Black Isle Bronze in the Highlands for the statue’s production.