His nose-ring gleaming in the shed's dark interior, Felix flicked his tail and showed the white of his eyes. This bull is no fool. He knew something was up: strangers have arrived with Land-Rover and trailer to pluck him away from his quiet Co Longford home.
Does this beautiful creature - a mottled strawberry roan - sense his fate has been linked to the people and beasts of an island many miles to the north?
After a long, hard, bovine match-making session Felix has been chosen as a husband for the Tory cow. She is the last of an ancient breed of short-horn cattle specific to the remote Donegal island which will die out if she does not find a mate.
Six months ago news of the last Tory cow's plight reached a national and international audience. In a wonderful display of partnership and co-operation the people of Tory joined forces with the Irish Seal Sanctuary, the Irish Genetics Resources and Conservation Trust and other concerned bodies in a final attempt to maintain the breed.
The plan was to seek out, if not another Tory bull, then a shorthorn as genetically similar to the ancient Tory breed as could be got. The goal was to ensure the continuation of this unique species on its ancestral island home.
And so last week Felix, to his consternation, found himself being heaved on to a trailer. At 16 months he is physically mature, but emotionally still a bit of a baby. Tom and John Brady, the brothers responsible for his fine pedigree, spoke to him soothingly.
The Brady brothers seemed sad as well as proud to see their bull start his northward journey.
"Don't tie him too tight, give him plenty of head room," instructed Tom, doing his best to calm the increasingly furious Felix.
"I'll miss him, but his grandfather was the Letterkenny Eagle, so he's going back to where he came from. I hope he performs well and is fruitful."
"Have a good time, boss!" shouted John in final farewell. "He'll be monarch of all he surveys up there."
The final leg of the journey took in Bunbeg Harbour on the Donegal coast. The first day the trip to the island had to be cancelled because of the swell but by Friday the sun poured down and the sea was reasonably calm.
The bull, still in his trailer, was winched on to a barge carrying coal to Tory. As we pulled out from the harbour the stunning Donegal coastline spread out behind us. Felix stared ahead towards the island where, little did he know, his mission as saviour of one of the world's rarest breeds would begin in earnest.
Like other island communities, Tory islanders have experienced serious erosion of their economic independence over the past three decades. The gradual disappearance of their cows is symptomatic of how much has been lost. Many residents depend on social welfare.
Thus re-establishing a herd of cattle presents opportunities for an organic, guaranteed BSE-free beef mini-industry and offers the islanders a great chance of increased economic self-determination. Older Tory folk still remember when a herd of 50 short-horns supplied the island's dairy needs.
As we arrived, the bull bellowed loudly, the first sound he had made since we left Longford. There's a great air of community celebration. The marriage of this bull to the last Tory cow symbolises the island's move towards a new phase of regeneration and sustainability.
The bull has brought a halter of laurel, ferns and bright meadow flowers as a present for his future bride. In a famous Tory myth, a magical halter was taken from Tory and the legendary King Balor's favourite cow swam after it back to the mainland. Now both halter and beast have returned.
Hopefully progeny will follow: watch the birth columns.