Fluent Fiction - Irish: Unlocking Dublin's Library: Midnight Secrets Unveiled
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ga/episode/2025-05-19-22-34-02-ga

Story Transcript:

Ga: Lá álainn earraigh a bhí ann i mBaile Átha Cliath, agus bhí gaineamh glas le feiceáil sna páirceanna fud fad na cathrach.
En: It was a beautiful spring day in Baile Átha Cliath (Dublin), and there was green sand visible in the fields throughout the city.

Ga: Bhí Siobhan agus Eamon istigh i Leabharlann Choláiste na Tríonóide, áit a raibh an t-aer trom le boladh seanpháipéir agus eagna ársa.
En: Siobhan and Eamon were inside the library of Coláiste na Tríonóide (Trinity College), where the air was thick with the smell of old paper and ancient wisdom.

Ga: Bhíodh solas lag ó na fuinneoga agam ar na seilfeanna adhmaid, nach raibh le feiceáil le haoisanna na gceithre chearnóg ina suí go ciúin ina gcuasán fairsing.
En: Soft light from the windows fell upon the wooden shelves, which hadn't been visible for ages, sitting quietly in their wide alcoves.

Ga: Bhí Siobhan, taighdeoir díograiseach, leabhlagtha ann, ag breathnú go díreach ar na lámhscríbhinní ársa.
En: Siobhan, a diligent researcher, was absorbed there, gazing intently at the ancient manuscripts.

Ga: Bhí brionglóid aige faoi shaothar iontach a aimsíodh—rud nach raibh aon duine eile feicthe riamh.
En: She was dreaming of discovering a marvelous work—something no one else had ever seen.

Ga: Ba í an seanchas an rud a thug sí isteach sa leabharlann gach lá.
En: It was folklore that she brought into the library every day.

Ga: Ach bhí fadhb ann.
En: But there was a problem.

Ga: Bhí comhdhúile ar tí tosú, agus ní bheadh rochtain ar na codanna is sine den leabharlann ar fáil.
En: Consolidations were about to start, and access to the oldest parts of the library would no longer be available.

Ga: Bhí Eamon, Staraí atá traidisiúnta agus grámhar ar a ghnáthamh, in éineacht léi.
En: Eamon, a historian who is traditional and fond of his routines, was with her.

Ga: Ach bhí amhras air faoi dul i ngleic le dlíthe an leabharlanna ar bhealach suas.
En: But he was doubtful about engaging with the library's rules in an unconventional way.

Ga: Dúirt sé go rialta, "Siúlann sé an cat mall ach siúlann sé raice.
En: He regularly said, "The cat walks slow, but he plans."

Ga: " Ba é sin a mhantra.
En: That was his mantra.

Ga: Oíche amháin, labhair Siobhan leis faoi cairdeas agus an fonn láidir a raibh uirthi an rud rí-altach a dhéanamh.
En: One night, Siobhan spoke to him about friendship and the strong desire she had to do something extraordinary.

Ga: "Eamon," ar sí, "feiceann tú cad atá orm.
En: "Eamon," she said, "you see what I'm facing.

Ga: Ní féidir liom cur suas leis an teora seo.
En: I can't put up with this boundary.

Ga: Inis dom, cén dóigh a bhfuil muid ag dul isteach?
En: Tell me, how are we going to get in?

Ga: Tá an seans againn rud éigin urghnách a aimsiú, agus b'fhéidir rud a d'fhéadfadh léargas a thabhairt ar stair na hÉireann.
En: We have the chance to discover something remarkable, maybe something that could shed light on the history of Éire (Ireland)."

Ga: "Tar éis síor-luamhaireachta agus díospóireachta, d’aontaigh Eamon go drogallach í a leanúint.
En: After persistent lobbying and debate, Eamon reluctantly agreed to follow her.

Ga: Ar fheabhas na meán oíche, chaithadar cloigeann lámhscríbhinní i gcúinne imeallach, faoi scáth aisteach a d'fhan as an tréimhsí suirbhéireachta roimhe seo.
En: At the height of midnight, they donned their manuscript disguises in a secluded corner, under a strange shadow that had remained out of previous surveys.

Ga: Leis an clog ag bualadh ceathrú chun a naoi, mar a tháinig an comhdhúileoirí isteach, fuair Siobhan rud nach raibh súil aici leis—a lámhscríbhinn le pictiúr den sean-amhrán mara, nár foilsíodh go riamh roimhe seo.
En: With the clock striking a quarter to nine, as the consolidators entered, Siobhan found something she hadn't expected—a manuscript with a picture of an ancient sea song, never published before.

Ga: Bhí a croí ag preabadh lena sceitimíní.
En: Her heart leaped with excitement.

Ga: Le cabhair Eamon, thiontú a bhrionglóid i ndáiríre.
En: With Eamon's help, her dream became a reality.

Ga: Agus i mbarr an ghluaisteáin isteach, sciob an téacs mar fhaisnéis nádúrtha nua—leagan nua den stair, a thiontú isteach i dtaispeántas nua sa leabharlann.
En: And in the car ride home, the text was swept up as new, natural information—a new version of history, transformed into a new exhibition in the library.

Ga: Bhain an scéal clú idir na scoláirí agus seanchaíthe.
En: The story gained fame among scholars and traditional storytellers.

Ga: D'aimsíodh Siobhan ní amháin lámhscríbhinn suimiúil, ach fuair sí muinín agus spreagadh úr ar a slí gairmiúil nua.
En: Siobhan discovered not only an interesting manuscript but also newfound confidence and inspiration in her new professional path.

Ga: Thosaigh Eamon, leis féin, le meas a bheith aige ar an eachtraíocht ina mheon istigh.
En: Eamon, for his part, began to appreciate the adventure in his inner mindset.

Ga: Agus mar sin, i measc lámhscríbhinní a chaomhnú na gcéadta bliain, fuair siad ní amháin an t-eolas, ach féin-eolaíocht freisin.
En: And so, among manuscripts preserved for hundreds of years, they found not only knowledge but self-knowledge too.


Vocabulary Words:

• alcoves: cuasán
• diligent: díograiseach
• manuscripts: lámhscríbhinní
• consolidations: comhdhúile
• unconventional: suas
• mantra: mantra
• friendship: cairdeas
• exhibition: taispeántas
• lobbying: síor-luamhaireachta
• debate: díospóireacht
• secluded: imeallach
• shadow: scáth
• surveys: suirbhéireachta
• anticipation: súileadh
• excitement: sceitimíní
• scholars: scoláirí
• preserved: chaomhnú
• extraordinary: urghnách
• insight: léargas
• routines: gnáthamh
• boundaries: teora
• persistent: síor
• restrictions: teorainneacha
• folklore: seanchas
• discovering: aimsiú
• undiscovered: neamhchomhdaigh
• mindset: meon
• adventure: eachtraíocht
• inspiration: spreagadh
• confidence: muinín