Keeping the evil spirits away...

The Celts are a superstitious bunch. Many old farm buildings have images like these set into the gable walls to protect the animals from evil spirits. The cattle are long gone, but I think we will leave him there, just in case his powers extend to covering two-legged animals as well! He certainly dates back well before these buildings were erected in the mid-1800s, and I suspect will have been transferred from an older dwelling.