Fluent Fiction - Irish: From Shy Boy to Star: A Christmas Eve Transformation
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ga/episode/2025-12-18-08-38-20-ga

Story Transcript:

Ga: Bhí an uair go luath, uair áthasach sa teach altranais.
En: It was early, a joyful hour in the nursing home.

Ga: Thuas sa seomra céilí, bhí boladh crann Nollag ag líonadh an aer, agus soilse ag lonrú go boige.
En: Upstairs in the ceilidh room, the smell of a Christmas tree was filling the air, and lights were softly glowing.

Ga: Bhí Aoife ag eagrú páistí don dráma scoile a bheadh ar siúl ar Oíche Nollag.
En: Aoife was organizing children for the school play that would take place on Christmas Eve.

Ga: Bhí páistí fonnmhar ag ullmhú, culaith ar a gcroí agus amhráin á bhfoghlaim acu.
En: Enthusiastic children were preparing, costumes on their hearts and songs being learned.

Ga: Istigh sa chúinne, i gcogar suaimhneach, bhí Ciarán.
En: In the corner, in a quiet whisper, was Ciarán.

Ga: Buachaill cúthail a bhí sé, ach bhí samhlaíocht an-domhain aige.
En: He was a shy boy, but he had a very deep imagination.

Ga: Bhí Aoife i gcónaí ag moladh Ciarán chun páirt a ghlacadh.
En: Aoife was always encouraging Ciarán to participate.

Ga: "Beidh tú iontach ann," a dúirt sí, ag iarraidh misneach a chur air.
En: "You'll be great in it," she said, trying to give him courage.

Ga: Bhí Róisín ansin chomh maith, lán le fuinneamh ach deacracht aici na línte a mheabhrú.
En: Róisín was there too, full of energy but having trouble remembering her lines.

Ga: "Ciarán," a scread sí.
En: "Ciarán," she shouted.

Ga: "Cén fáth nach n-imríonn tú m'áit nuair a dhearmad mé?
En: "Why don't you play my part when I forget?"

Ga: "Bhí Ciarán chomh cúthail sin.
En: Ciarán was so shy.

Ga: Bhí eagla air go ndiúltódh na páistí é, ach bhí Róisín fíor-mhuiníneach.
En: He was afraid the children would reject him, but Róisín was very confident.

Ga: Oíche amháin, d'fhan sé suas déanach.
En: One night, he stayed up late.

Ga: Scríobh sé script nua don dráma.
En: He wrote a new script for the play.

Ga: Bhí litir ag gach leathanach ag súil le hionú.
En: A letter on each page hoping for inclusion.

Ga: Ar maidin, le croí ar lasadh le sceitimíní agus imní, thug sé an script go Aoife.
En: In the morning, with a heart alight with excitement and anxiety, he gave the script to Aoife.

Ga: Léigh sí é le súile gléineacha.
En: She read it with shining eyes.

Ga: "Ciarán, tá seo iontach!
En: "Ciarán, this is fantastic!"

Ga: " a dúirt sí agus thóg sí an dráma amach chuig na páistí.
En: she said and took the play out to the children.

Ga: Sa chlós, thosaigh na cleachtaí.
En: In the yard, the rehearsals began.

Ga: Ghlaoigh Aoife orthu agus d'inis sí faoin scéal nua Ciarán.
En: Aoife called them together and told them about Ciarán's new story.

Ga: Bhí gach duine ar bís, ach chuir sé imní ar Ciarán go fóill.
En: Everyone was excited, but Ciarán was still anxious.

Ga: Ansin, le linn cleachtaidh, rinne Róisín dearmad ar línte.
En: Then, during practice, Róisín forgot her lines.

Ga: Bhí tost na halla an-shuaimhneach.
En: The silence of the hall was very peaceful.

Ga: Sheas Ciarán, ag coimeád greim ar a script agus chabhraigh sé léi.
En: Ciarán stood, holding onto his script and helped her.

Ga: Nuair a chríochnaigh siad ag cleachtadh an lá sin, rith sores leo.
En: When they finished rehearsing that day, they ran out of the hall.

Ga: Bhí an dráma Ciarán iontach.
En: Ciarán's play was amazing.

Ga: Bhí na páistí ag canadh, ag gáire, agus ag bualadh bos.
En: The children were singing, laughing, and clapping.

Ga: Bhí muinín nua ag Ciarán.
En: Ciarán had newfound confidence.

Ga: Thuig sé go raibh sé ina chuid den chlann, ábalta a scéalta agus é féin a roinnt leo.
En: He realized he was part of the family, able to share his stories and himself with them.

Ga: Seo anois an Nollaig.
En: Now it was Christmas.

Ga: Tháinig Oíche Nollag, agus bhí an dráma mar an bpríomhimeacht.
En: Christmas Eve came, and the play was the main event.

Ga: Chuaigh sé thar barr.
En: It was a huge success.

Ga: Bhí Ciarán mar an réalta, agus mhothaigh sé rud nach bhfacthas riamh aige: go raibh sé sa bhaile.
En: Ciarán was the star, and he felt something he had never seen before: that he was at home.


Vocabulary Words:

• joyful: áthasach
• nursing home: teach altranais
• ceilidh room: seomra céilí
• glowing: lonrú
• organizing: eagrú
• enthusiastic: fonnmhar
• corner: cúinne
• whisper: cogar
• shy: cúthail
• imagination: samhlaíocht
• encouraging: moladh
• courage: misneach
• script: script
• rehearsals: cleachtaí
• susurration: tost na halla
• anxiety: imní
• excited: ar bís
• huge: thar barr
• sharing: roinnt
• realized: thuig
• main event: bpríomhimeacht
• success: thar barr
• confidence: muinín
• fantastic: iontach
• afraid: eagla
• together: ar bís
• empty: folamh
• fragile: leochaileach
• star: réalta
• gleaming: gléineacha