Fluent Fiction - Irish: Under Twilight's Spell: A Christmas Proposal in Dublin
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ga/episode/2025-12-12-23-34-01-ga

Story Transcript:

Ga: Bhí tráthnóna geal, fuar Nollag i mBaile Átha Cliath.
En: It was a bright, cold Christmas evening in Baile Átha Cliath.

Ga: Bhí an margadh Nollag lán le daoine agus lán le hathbheochan.
En: The Christmas market was full of people and brimming with revival.

Ga: Bhí an t-aer lán le boladh fíonna te agus sinséar, agus dathanna iontacha na soilse ag lonrú i ngach áit.
En: The air was filled with the smell of hot wines and ginger, and the wonderful colors of the lights were shining everywhere.

Ga: Bhí Cormac agus Niamh ag siúl go sona sásta tríd an margadh, ag iompar cupáin te mar dhíol spéise.
En: Cormac and Niamh were walking happily through the market, carrying hot cups as something of interest.

Ga: Bhí an t-atmaisféar draíochtach, agus bhí Niamh lán de dhóchas agus de ghliondar.
En: The atmosphere was magical, and Niamh was full of hope and joy.

Ga: Ach bhí rud éigin ar intinn ag Cormac.
En: But something was on Cormac's mind.

Ga: Bhí sé ag iarraidh ceist an-tábhachtach a chur ar Niamh, agus bhí sé róneirbhíseach.
En: He wanted to ask Niamh a very important question and he was very nervous.

Ga: Bhí áthas air an nóiméad foirfe a aimsiú, ach anois, le gach duine agus gach rud timpeall air, bhí an chuma ar an scéal nach bhfeadfadh sé an dea-nóiméad a chur ar fáil.
En: He was happy to find the perfect moment, but now, with everyone and everything around him, it seemed he couldn’t create the perfect moment.

Ga: Leag Niamh a súile ar na buaiceanna a bhí ar sheastáin éagsúla, agus gach rud a dhíoltar i lár an mhargaidh.
En: Niamh set her eyes on the peaks that were on various stands, and everything being sold in the middle of the market.

Ga: Bhí sí chomh dírithe air sin go ndearna sí dearmad ar Cormac ar feadh nóiméad.
En: She was so focused on that, she forgot about Cormac for a moment.

Ga: D'fhan Cormac ina sheasamh, ag féachaint thart orthu, aghaidh an domhain dearmadta aige anois.
En: Cormac stood still, looking around them, the world’s face now forgotten to him.

Ga: Tar éis tamaill, nuair a bhraith Cormac nach raibh Niamh le feiceáil, thosaigh faitíos ag teacht air.
En: After a while, when Cormac felt that Niamh wasn’t visible, he began to feel fear.

Ga: Thosaigh sé ag ciarógú tríd an slua, a chuid smaointe ag rasparáil leis.
En: He started to weave through the crowd, his thoughts racing.

Ga: Bhí an croí ina scornach aige, ach athghabh sé é féin go tapa.
En: His heart was in his throat, but he quickly regained his composure.

Ga: "Ceart go leor," arsa Cormac leis féin go muiníneach.
En: "Alright," Cormac said to himself confidently.

Ga: "Ligeann muid don lá a threorú muid.
En: "Let's let the day guide us."

Ga: " Tuig sé go gcaithfidh sé glacadh leis an lá mar atá sé.
En: He realized he had to accept the day as it is.

Ga: Sin é, faoi bhratach mhór soilse, a chuir sé amach ar bhóthar Niamh.
En: That's when, under a big banner of lights, he set out on the road after Niamh.

Ga: Bhí Niamh ansin, faoi dhroichead beag atá maisithe le soilse bána, ag féachaint suas le háthas fíor.
En: Niamh was there, under a small bridge decorated with white lights, looking up with true joy.

Ga: Agus ag an nóiméad sin, nuair a thit na ciaróga sneachta síos go réidh, ghabh Cormac an deis.
En: And at that moment, as the snowflakes gently fell, Cormac seized the opportunity.

Ga: "Niamh," ar sé go práinneach, "an dtiocfaidh tú liom i gcónaí?
En: "Niamh," he said urgently, "will you always come with me?

Ga: An bpósfaidh tú mé?
En: Will you marry me?"

Ga: "D'fhéach Niamh air le hiontas orthu, an domhan stopaithe ag sníomh gach rud imithe.
En: Niamh looked at him with surprise, the world stopped spinning, everything vanished.

Ga: Agus ansin, le meangadh gáire, arsa sí: "Is cinnte!
En: And then, with a smile, she said: "Of course!

Ga: Is aoibhinn liom é!
En: I'd love that!"

Ga: "Tháinig faoiseamh mór ar Cormac.
En: A huge relief came over Cormac.

Ga: Bhí an rud a cheap sé a bheith ar intinn sách foirfe i ndána, spontáineach beag ná raibh fós breá deáchaite.
En: What he thought needed to be mentally perfect turned out to be a slightly daring, spontaneous thing that was still beautifully executed.

Ga: Ní haon phlean a bhí aige is buntáiste a thabhairt riamh.
En: He had never planned to gain any advantage.

Ga: Bhí an tsíocháin agus an meon a roinn siad le chéile ábhar na fíorghaithne foirfe é.
En: The peace and mood they shared were the true essence of perfection.

Ga: Agus mar a chíoradar na caillí, ag scoilteadh trí na scamaill sneachta, choinnigh Cormac agus Niamh lámha lena chéile, ag gáire i gcomhar faoin gcuma iontach a bhí air ní na laethanta sin — ní de réir phlean, ach ó chroí.
En: And as they strolled along, cutting through the snow clouds, Cormac and Niamh held hands, laughing together at how wonderful those days appeared — not according to a plan, but from the heart.


Vocabulary Words:

• brimming: lán le
• revival: athbheochan
• composure: athghabháil
• banner: bratach
• spontaneous: spontáineach
• gently: go réidh
• seized: ghabh
• advantage: buntáiste
• essence: ábhar
• weave: ciarógú
• composure: composure
• urgent: práinneach
• decorated: maisithe
• flickering: ag lonrú
• daring: dána
• confidently: muiníneach
• glee: gliondar
• drifting: ag scoilteadh
• forgot: dearmadta
• gleamed: ag lonrú
• relief: faoiseamh
• urge: práinneach
• vanished: imigh
• crafted: deáchaite
• nervous: róneirbhíseach
• focusing: dírithe
• joy: áthas
• forgotten: dearmad
• conceivable: intinn sách
• spinning: ag sníomh