Fluent Fiction - Irish: Finding Her Voice: The Courage to Share Ancient Stories
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ga/episode/2025-01-09-23-34-02-ga

Story Transcript:

Ga: I leabharlann álainn i lár an phobail, tá Saoirse, Aoife, agus Cian ag ullmhú dá gcur i láthair.
En: In a beautiful library in the heart of the community, Saoirse, Aoife, and Cian are preparing for their presentation.

Ga: Tá sneachta ag titim go bog lasmuigh.
En: Snow is gently falling outside.

Ga: Tá na seilfeanna lán d’leabhair ar sheanlitríocht agus stair na hÉireann.
En: The shelves are filled with books on ancient literature and the history of Ireland.

Ga: Tá Saoirse ag stánadh ar an leabhar i lámha aici; mothaíonn sí neirbhíseach faoi labhairt os comhair a ranga.
En: Saoirse is staring at the book in her hands; she feels nervous about speaking in front of her class.

Ga: “Cuireann sé scanradh orm,” a deir Saoirse go ciúin le Aoife.
En: "It frightens me," Saoirse says quietly to Aoife.

Ga: “Níl mé muiníneach dom féin.”
En: "I'm not confident in myself."

Ga: “Is féidir leat é a dhéanamh,” a deir Aoife, ag gáire go teochroíoch.
En: "You can do it," Aoife says with a warm smile.

Ga: “Tá scéalta iontacha agat. Caithfidh tú muinín a bheith agat i do ghuth.”
En: "You have amazing stories. You just need to have confidence in your voice."

Ga: Tá Cian ag éisteacht ón seilf in aice láimhe.
En: Cian is listening from a nearby shelf.

Ga: Cé go bhfuil siad i gcomórtas de ghnáth, tá meas aige ar eolas Saoirse faoi oidhreacht.
En: Although they are usually in competition, he respects Saoirse's knowledge of heritage.

Ga: “Is tusa an duine is fearr le haghaidh na tuairisce seo, Saoirse,” a deir sé, agus cúpla leabhar stairiúil á bhrabhsáil aige.
En: "You're the best person for this report, Saoirse," he says, browsing through a few historical books.

Ga: Breathnaíonn Saoirse ar a cairde.
En: Saoirse looks at her friends.

Ga: Tá sí buíoch don tacaíocht, ach fós tá eagla uirthi.
En: She is grateful for the support, but she is still afraid.

Ga: Is í an seasamh os comhair a ranga agus a roinnt scéalta ó stair a clainne an rud is deacra.
En: Standing in front of her class and sharing some stories from her family's history is the hardest thing.

Ga: Ach tá breith an lae ann, agus tá Saoirse réidh le tabhairt faoin dúshlán.
En: But the day has arrived, and Saoirse is ready to take on the challenge.

Ga: Lá na tuairisce, tá Saoirse sa leabharlann.
En: On the day of the report, Saoirse is in the library.

Ga: Tá na fuinneoga móra ag cur aghaidh ar an tírdhreach reothaithe lasmuigh, cruthúnas den gheimhreadh in Éirinn.
En: The large windows face the frosty landscape outside, evidence of winter in Ireland.

Ga: Tugann sí anál domhain agus tosaíonn sí ag labhairt.
En: She takes a deep breath and begins to speak.

Ga: Ag tús, bíonn a lámha ag crith, ach de réir a chéile, faigheann sí muinín.
En: At first, her hands tremble, but gradually, she gains confidence.

Ga: Insíonn sí scéalta a seanathar faoin Nollaig sna Seascaidí, scéalta faoin siúl naofa, agus scéal faoi Bhríd Naofa.
En: She tells stories of her grandfather about Christmas in the Sixties, tales of the holy walk, and a story about Bríd Naofa.

Ga: De réir mar a leanann Saoirse, tagann sí ag díriú lom ar shúile a comhghleacaithe.
En: As Saoirse continues, she becomes intently focused on the eyes of her classmates.

Ga: Tuigeann sí go bhfuil siad sáite, ag éisteacht le fáiltiúlacht.
En: She realizes they are absorbed, listening with enthusiasm.

Ga: Críochnaíonn sí le scéal a gaol ón mbealach a d’úsáid a sin-seanmháthair sole agus crannóg le linn na sean-aimsir.
En: She finishes with a story of her ancestor's use of a hut and crannog in ancient times.

Ga: Nuair a chríochnaíonn sí, cuireann Aoife a bosa le chéile ag bualadh bos, agus tar éis tamaillín, bualann an rang ar fad bos.
En: When she finishes, Aoife brings her hands together in applause, and after a moment, the whole class applauds.

Ga: Tagann Cian suas chuici.
En: Cian comes up to her.

Ga: “Bhí tú thar cionn, Saoirse,” a deir sé go measúil.
En: "You were outstanding, Saoirse," he says respectfully.

Ga: Cé gur chuir sé eagla uirthi ag tús, faigheann Saoirse sa deireadh muinín iontach i guth féin.
En: Although it frightened her at the start, Saoirse ultimately finds tremendous confidence in her own voice.

Ga: Tá sí lán de mhórtas as a oidhreacht, mar a bhfuil a muintir.
En: She is filled with pride for her heritage, like her family.

Ga: Mothaíonn sí go bhfuil nasc nua aici lena cairde agus a clann.
En: She feels a new connection to her friends and her family.

Ga: Is amhlaidh a bhí an lá sin mar bharraíocht de dhoirse nua, áit a thosaigh Saoirse ag labhartha, ní hamháin ó bhéal, ach ó chroí freisin.
En: That day served as a doorway to new opportunities, where Saoirse began speaking, not just from her mouth, but from her heart as well.


Vocabulary Words:

• library: leabharlann
• community: pobal
• preparing: ag ullmhú
• shelves: seilfeanna
• ancient: sean
• nervous: neirbhíseach
• frightens: scanradh
• confident: muiníneach
• warm smile: gáire teochroíoch
• competition: comórtas
• heritage: oidhreacht
• report: tuairisce
• grateful: buíoch
• challenge: dúshlán
• frosty: reothaithe
• landscape: tírdhreach
• tremble: crith
• confidence: muinín
• intently: díriú lom
• absorbed: sáite
• enthusiasm: fáiltiúlacht
• ancestor: gaol
• hut: sole
• crannog: crannóg
• applause: bualadh bos
• outstanding: thar cionn
• tremendous: iontach
• pride: mórtas
• connection: nasc
• opportunities: doirse nua