Fluent Fiction - Irish: Maeve's Snowy Quest: A Christmas Election Dream
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ga/episode/2024-12-28-08-38-19-ga

Story Transcript:

Ga: Is faoi sholas na n-reann a thosaigh an turas.
En: It was under the light of the stars that the journey began.

Ga: Bhí an Nollaig chomh gar is a bhí an sneachta ar an talamh, agus bhí an geimhreadh ag scuabadh ar fud na tuaithe.
En: Christmas was as close as the snow on the ground, and winter was sweeping across the countryside.

Ga: Bhí Maeve ag féachaint amach ar na bóithre sneachta ina stáisiún beag, an teach seanbhunaithe a bhí mar ionad vótála do na sráidbhailte beaga i dTuaisceart Éireann.
En: Maeve was looking out at the snowy roads from her little station, the old-established building that served as the polling place for the small villages in Northern Ireland.

Ga: Bhí na maisiúcháin Nollag ag glioscarnach i bhfianaise na sráide, ach beag beann orthu, bhí rud éigin i bhfad níos tábhachtaí i gcuimhne.
En: The Christmas decorations were sparkling in the light of the street, but regardless of them, something much more important was on her mind.

Ga: Bhí sé ina am chinniúnach don phobal, ach ba é an fhadhb is mó ná tuiscint na nduine mar gheall ar an vótáil.
En: It was a critical time for the community, but the biggest issue was people's understanding of the voting.

Ga: Bhí an-leadrán ar muintir na háite maidir le polaitíocht, agus ba bheag a bhí suim acu sna hathruithe a bhí Maeve ag iarraidh a thabhairt i gcrích.
En: The locals were very bored with politics, and they had little interest in the changes Maeve was trying to bring about.

Ga: Ach níor stad sí sin; bhí sí lán de dhúthracht agus fuinneamh, ag iarraidh a muintir a chur i gcaoi faoin tábhacht a bhí ag a nguth.
En: But that didn't stop her; she was full of determination and energy, trying to organize her people around the importance of their voice.

Ga: Sheas Ronan, a cara dílis, ag a taobh.
En: Ronan, her loyal friend, stood by her side.

Ga: Bhí Ronan cliste, réidh agus dóchasach, ach ní raibh sé cinnte faoi na hiarrachtaí a bhí Maeve ag déanamh.
En: Ronan was smart, ready, and optimistic, but he wasn't sure about the efforts Maeve was making.

Ga: Níl suim ar leith aige sa pholaitíocht, ach bhí a fhios aige cé chomh tábhachtach is a bhí sé do Maeve baill den phobal a fháil amach ag vótáil.
En: He didn't have a particular interest in politics, but he knew how important it was for Maeve to get the community members out to vote.

Ga: "Ó, Ronan," a dúirt Maeve agus iad ag breathnú amach an fhuinneog, "ní mór dúinn na daoine seo a thabhairt anseo. Caithfidh siad a bheith mar chuid den t-athrú."
En: "Oh, Ronan," Maeve said as they looked out the window, "we have to bring these people here. They need to be part of the change."

Ga: D’oibrigh Maeve go dian, ag eagrú carabháin do na vótálaithe dreoite óna dtithe i lár an sneachta bán.
En: Maeve worked hard, organizing caravans for the jaded voters from their homes in the midst of the white snow.

Ga: Seancharranna, fillte i ndathanna geala na Nollag, bhíodar réidh le bunadh an bhaile a thógáil chuig an ionad vótála.
En: Old cars, wrapped in the bright colors of Christmas, were ready to take the townsfolk to the polling place.

Ga: Chuir Maeve cinneadh cróga os a gcomhair: áiseanna a roinnt agus vótálaithe a thabharfaí i gcomhthéacs an bhróin eacnaimiach mhóir seo.
En: Maeve put a bold choice before them: to unite resources and bring voters forth in the context of this great economic mourning.

Ga: Le dul faoi lánseol an tsneachta, chuaigh an carbhán ag taisteal ó sráidbhaile go sráidbhaile, trí na cosáin caolcha timpeallaithe le cnoic bhláthair.
En: With the snow in full swing, the caravan went traveling from village to village, through the narrow paths surrounded by flowering hills.

Ga: Ach ní fada a bhí siad ar a dtreo nuair a bhuail stoirm mhór sneachta iad.
En: But they hadn't gone far on their journey when a big snowstorm hit them.

Ga: Bhí an príomhbhóthar dúnta agus dírigh an sneach go tiubh na bairr.
En: The main road was closed, and the snow piled thickly on the peaks.

Ga: "Cad a dhéanfaimid anois, Maeve?" a dúirt Ronan i giúmar achrannach.
En: "What will we do now, Maeve?" Ronan said in a troubled mood.

Ga: Ach bhí Maeve tiomáinte, ní raibh sí sásta éirí as.
En: But Maeve was determined, not willing to give up.

Ga: Chonaic sí cosán beag taobh amuigh den phríomhshlí a rinne an teachtaireacht soiléir: buanseasmhacht go bhfuil bealach ann i gcónaí.
En: She saw a small path off the main route that made the message clear: perseverance means there's always a way.

Ga: "Tá bóthar cúil ann," a dúirt sí go muiníneach.
En: "There’s a back road," she said confidently.

Ga: "Tá súil agam go dtiocfaimid ann in am."
En: "I hope we can get there in time."

Ga: Tríd an ngála, chomhthrom le srutháin sneachta, bhí cóiriú comhchabhála á lorg acu; iad siúd ar thug Ronan agus Maeve treoir trí na cosáin bheaga, faoi scáth na gcrainn, go dtí an t-ionad vótála.
En: Through the gale, even with snow streams, they sought cooperative assistance; Ronan and Maeve guiding them through the small paths, under the shadow of the trees, to the polling place.

Ga: Ní raibh am ar bith le spáráil acu; ach ar deireadh, rinne na daoine a gcoinníoll dílis, nuall ag doras an halla somsáinneach.
En: They had no time to spare, but finally, the people kept their faithful pact, shouting at the door of the spacious hall.

Ga: Bhí an t-atmaisféar sa halla lán de spleodar agus meangadh afterglow na Nollag.
En: The atmosphere in the hall was full of excitement and the afterglow of Christmas smiles.

Ga: Bhain an scaifte le hinsint faoi cé chomh tábhachtach agus a bhí a nguth.
En: The crowd was eager to tell of how important their voice was.

Ga: "B'fhiú an turas,” a dúirt Ronan go bródúil, "is féidir le hathrú beag mórán a dhéanamh."
En: "The journey was worth it," Ronan said proudly, "a small change can make a big difference."

Ga: Bhraith Maeve an t-áthas a ghabh an lá, ní i enk na toisce.
En: Maeve felt the joy that captured the day, not merely because of the circumstances.

Ga: Thug sí a fearaithne, agus d'fhoghlaim sí rud éigin freisin - gur féidir le dúthracht agus pobal damhsa an t-athrú a thiomáint.
En: She gave her acknowledgment, having also learned something - that dedication and community can drive change.

Ga: Sa cloigeann leanúnach, rinne Ronan an díograis chéanna a fuair am, ag tabhairt isteach a bhuíochas go fóill.
En: In the constant buzz, Ronan shared the same enthusiasm she had found, expressing his gratitude still.

Ga: Bhí geata codlata tír seo i deireanach, ach bhí a fhios ag Maeve agus Ronan go raibh tamall long-which in eascrare.
En: The gateway to this country's sleep was closing, but Maeve and Ronan knew there was a long journey ahead.

Ga: Agus sin an scéal, a chairde, de bheirt atá sásta agus a tàiothar go léir i ndiallam an chéad lá eile.
En: And that, my friends, is the story of two who are happy and dedicated to guiding everything into the path of the next day.


Vocabulary Words:

• journey: turas
• sweeping: ag scuabadh
• countryside: tuaithe
• established: seanbhunaithe
• decorations: maisiúcháin
• sparkling: glioscarnach
• critical: chinniúnach
• bored: leadrán
• determination: dúthracht
• organize: eagrú
• loyal: dílis
• optimistic: dóchasach
• particular: ar leith
• jaded: dreoite
• caravans: carabháin
• mourning: brón
• path: cosán
• perseverance: buanseasmhacht
• gale: gála
• cooperative: comhchabhála
• guild: treoir
• spacious: somsáinneach
• afterglow: meangadh
• circumstances: toisce
• acknowledgment: fearaithne
• dedication: dúthracht
• excitement: spleodar
• gratitude: buíochas
• gateway: geata
• enthusiasm: díograis