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MONDAY, February 24th, 1879, began as a routine day for the 500 or so students at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. They rose at 6.30am, went to the chapel for meditation and Mass, studied for an hour, ate breakfast at 8.30am and settled into a well established schedule of lectures, study, recreation and meal breaks. They could have no expectation that it would become one of the best-remembered days in the college’s history.

In Ashbourne, the members of the Ward Union Stag Hunting Club knew that the same Monday would be a special day. For the first time, they would be riding with Her Imperial Highness, Elizabeth, Empress of Austria, Sisi to her friends and the sporting empress to her admirers, a lady whose equestrian skills were known throughout Europe.