Fluent Fiction - Irish: Silent Snow, Loud Courage: Caoimhe's Christmas Revelation
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ga/episode/2024-12-15-23-34-02-ga

Story Transcript:

Ga: Bhí oíche Nollag ann, agus bhí an sneachta ag titim go bog ar shráideanna Dhún Laoghaire i mBaile Átha Cliath.
En: It was Christmas Eve, and the snow was gently falling on the streets of Dún Laoghaire in Baile Átha Cliath.

Ga: Bhí gach teach ag lonrú le soilse Nollag, agus bhí Caoimhe ag mothú brú uirthi faoi dhíonta lán díospóide a muintire.
En: Every house was glowing with Christmas lights, and Caoimhe was feeling the pressure under the full roofs of her family's disputes.

Ga: Bhí guthanna arda agus gáire á chloisteáil sa teach, ach seasamh Caoimhe sa chúinne, a hintinn chomh laistigh dá cás féin.
En: Loud voices and laughter could be heard in the house, but Caoimhe stood in the corner, her mind deep within its own confines.

Ga: Caoimhe, ógánach an teaghlaigh, bhí sí ann de ghnáth ag éisteacht agus ag comhlíonadh, ach inniu, bhí uirthi éalú.
En: Caoimhe, the youngster of the family, would usually be there listening and complying, but today, she felt the need to escape.

Ga: Bhí sí idir dhá thine Bhealtaine, ag smaoineamh ar an éalú seo don chéad uair.
En: She was caught between two fires, contemplating this escape for the first time.

Ga: In aice leis, bhí Eoin, a chara óige a tháinig abhaile ón bFrainc.
En: Nearby was Eoin, her childhood friend returned from France.

Ga: Thuig sé a cruachás agus bhí sé ina thacaíocht láidir di.
En: He understood her predicament and was a strong support for her.

Ga: Thosnaigh Eoin ar an mbealach amach as an seomra go mícharthasach.
En: Eoin started making his way out of the room ungraciously.

Ga: Lean Caoimhe é, a rabha iarraidh fanacht a thuilleadh.
En: Caoimhe followed him, unwilling to stay any longer.

Ga: D'éirigh leo sleamhnú amach an doras cúil go ciúin gan duine a bheith airdeallach orthu.
En: They managed to slip out the back door quietly without anyone noticing.

Ga: Bhí an aer úr fuar amuigh faoin spéir dhorcha, lán de bhraoiníní sneachta ag soilsiú sa solas sráide.
En: The fresh cold air greeted them under the dark sky, full of snowflakes shining in the streetlight.

Ga: "Go raibh maith agat, Eoin," a dúirt Caoimhe, agus iad ag siúl trí phairc dubhreatha.
En: "Thank you, Eoin," said Caoimhe, as they walked through the dark park.

Ga: "An sos beag a bhí uaim.
En: "A little break was what I needed."

Ga: ""Le do mhuintir, is deacair uaireanta," ar Eoin.
En: "With your family, it's tough sometimes," said Eoin.

Ga: "Ach tá d'imeacht féin tábhachtach.
En: "But your own path is important."

Ga: "Bhí an sneachta ag carnadh thart orthu agus iad ag teacht chuige ar pháirc sheireneach.
En: The snow was gathering around them as they reached a serene park.

Ga: Shuigh siad síos ar bhinse clúdaithe le sneachta, a análachtaí ag feiceáil sa reo.
En: They sat down on a bench covered with snow, their breaths visible in the frost.

Ga: "Ceapaim go bhfuil mé ag cailleadh mé féin," a dúirt Caoimhe, a súile trom le mearbhall.
En: "I think I'm losing myself," said Caoimhe, her eyes heavy with confusion.

Ga: "Bíonn siad ag súil liom a bheith mar an gcéanna leo.
En: "They expect me to be just like them."

Ga: ""Eirí as an ngnáth," a dúirt Eoin.
En: "Break away from the norm," said Eoin.

Ga: "Ach tá an neart ionat do féin a leanúint.
En: "But you have the strength to follow your own path.

Ga: Tá tú níos láidre ná mar a cheapann tú.
En: You're stronger than you think."

Ga: "D'fhán siad i ciúnas tamall, Caoimhe ag smaoineamh ar na focail sin.
En: They stayed silent for a while, Caoimhe pondering those words.

Ga: Bhí sí ann, le croí na bliana a oscailt óna chéad chuimhne.
En: She was there, with a year's heart opening from its first memory.

Ga: Le himeachta an oíche, tháinig misneach inti.
En: As the night progressed, courage blossomed within her.

Ga: Agus thug Eoin barróg uirthi, a dúirt sé, "Aislingigh mór, Caoimhe.
En: And as Eoin hugged her, he said, "Dream big, Caoimhe.

Ga: Ná bí buartha má thógann sé am.
En: Don't worry if it takes time."

Ga: "Nuair a tháinig siad ar ais chuig an teach, bhí an t-atmaisféar fós as dóigh.
En: When they returned to the house, the atmosphere was still as hectic.

Ga: Ach anois, bhí a fhios aici cad a bhí uirthi a dhéanamh.
En: But now, she knew what she had to do.

Ga: Bhí sí ag dul isteach, réidh le labhairt, réidh le rá lena muintir faoi na mianach a bhí aici fhéin.
En: She was going in, ready to speak, ready to tell her family about her own desires.

Ga: Shiúil Caoimhe isteach an seomra mór.
En: Caoimhe walked into the large room.

Ga: Le hEoin taobh léi, rinne sí a cás soiléir.
En: With Eoin by her side, she made her case clear.

Ga: Cé go raibh iontas ar a muintir ar dtús, ba ghearr go dtuigeadar a misneach an oíche sin.
En: Although her family was surprised at first, they soon understood her courage that night.

Ga: Sa deireadh, ní raibh sí sáinnithe a thuilleadh.
En: In the end, she was no longer trapped.

Ga: Bhí sí saor chun a pleananna féin a chur i ngníomh, fé mar a bhí sí i gceist.
En: She was free to pursue her own plans, just as she intended.

Ga: Leis an tacaíocht ó chara dílis, bhí muinín aici ina féiniúlacht, d'ainnis sé chéim amháin mall ach cróga.
En: With the support of a loyal friend, she gained confidence in her identity, taking one slow but brave step.

Ga: Agus leis sin, tháinig síad uile go chéile i mbaile geal, ceolmhar na Nollag.
En: And with that, they all gathered together in a bright, musical Christmas home.


Vocabulary Words:

• gently: go bog
• disputes: díospóide
• confines: cás
• complying: ag comhlíonadh
• predicament: cruachás
• ungraciously: mícharthasach
• slip: sleamhnú
• serene: sheireneach
• confusion: mearbhall
• norm: ngnáth
• pondering: ag smaoineamh
• courage: misneach
• blossomed: tháinig
• hectic: as dóigh
• identity: féiniúlacht
• predicament: cruachás
• compliance: comhlíonadh
• roof: díonta
• laughter: gáire
• escape: éalú
• breathe: análachtaí
• dark: dhorcha
• cold: fuar
• visible: feiceáil
• gathering: carnadh
• glowing: lonrú
• support: tacaíocht
• inhale: a análachtaí
• expect: súil
• atmosphere: t-atmaisféar