COAR NY HASTAN
The Coar ny Hastan (which in the more poetic language of the Manx translates as crane of the eels) was installed on Castletown Harbour in October 2024. It is the header piece of the developing Silverburn Art Trail and is a magnificent, majestic addition to the harbour landscape of the ancient capital of the Isle of Man, Castletown.
A Heron was chosen for this iconic sculpture as it is a familiar bird on Castletown's shore and harbour area as well as along the length of the Silverburn river. The Heron is well known for sitting like a statue as it scans its environs for the next catch. This piece reflects the rich natural life we enjoy within the Unesco Biosphere site which is the Isle of Man.
This sculpture was made possible by a generous grant to the Creative Network from The Manx Lottery Trust Community Fund to to support the introduction of new artworks along the proposed Silverburn Art Trail. This grant paid for the materials for the making of Coar ny Hastan. The design and making of the 26 foot high bird was undertaken by artists Darren Jackson and Stephanie Jackson-Quayle of Farmyard Studio in St Mark's. They were tasked with creating something for the Isle of Man that was an 'Island scale' equivalent of England's Angel of the North. The Creative Network owes the artists a huge debt for creating a wonderful and appropriate piece for the Island's residents and visitors and of course for the furthering of public art on the Isle of Man. Thank you Darren and Steph.
After around 5 years of planning, fundraising and making of Coar ny Hastan, it was fantastic to finally see this sculpture fly through the air to reach its home on the old, redundant swing bridge platform next to Thirtle Bridge which spans Castletown Harbour. The installation was a logistical challenge orchestrated by the artists, Castletown Commissioners, Isle of Man Harbours, the Creative Network and Mann Crane Hire. The Creative Network extend thanks to all agencies and individuals involved. Now that the Sculpture is secured in its new home, it is being donated to the town of Castletown and its residents who the Creative Network hopes will welcome it as one of their own.