The surveillance photos which trace Ms Deirdre Jacob's last-known movements eight days ago reveal a confident, self-possessed young woman, her stance erect and her face seemingly untroubled by any concern.
Her father, Mr Michael Jacob, yesterday described her as "very organised within herself. She was very travelwise. If she was delayed or anything, she would always notify us".
Mr Jacob remembers his daughter being in good spirits the evening before she disappeared. "She had been in Cavan for the weekend with friends. She was very cheerful when she came back, after she was picked up in town by her mother."
The Jacobs live in a modern bungalow a mile outside Newbridge, just where suburbia and the countryside meet. He works in Teagasc, his wife in the local health board. A younger daughter, Ciara, was with a friend on last Tuesday week, the day that Ms Jacob failed to return home.
Ms Jacob (18) attended the local Holy Family secondary school before enrolling in St Mary's College in Twickenham, London, a favourite destination for Irish students wishing to train in Britain as primary school teachers.
She was due to repeat an exam, but gardai say there was nothing to suggest that she had academic worries. Indeed, the purpose of her trip into town was to secure her accommodation for next year, when she planned to share a flat with a number of other Irish students attending St Mary's. She had planned to start vacation work as a hotel receptionist a few days ago.
British police have been assisting in the search for the missing teenager at the request of local gardai. Ms Jacob had a boyfriend in Britain, who was also attending St Mary's.
"Deirdre had no more concerns than anyone else of her age. She had no major worries," said Mr Jacob yesterday. "If someone, somewhere, knows her whereabouts, could they please talk to the gardai? And to Deirdre, if you read this and you're aware there is a search, please contact us," he appealed.