Fluent Fiction - Irish: Winter Whirl: From Study Stress to Imbolc Embrace
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ga/episode/2026-02-02-08-38-20-ga

Story Transcript:

Ga: Bhí galaí géar an gheimhridh ag séideadh amuigh, ag tabhairt luaidhe bán na sneachta lena chéile.
En: The harsh winter gales were blowing outside, carrying the white lead of snow together.

Ga: Lasmuigh den fhuinneog, bhí an domhan faoi shrian, ach laistigh de sheomra codlata cúng an choláiste áfach, bhí saol níos ciúine ag titim i leataobh.
En: Outside the window, the world was constrained, but inside the narrow dorm room of the college, a quieter life was unfolding.

Ga: Cian, mac léinn tiomanta le haolscartha ar fud na seomra, agus é ag iarraidh gach rud faoi chúram don scrúdú meántéarma a thógáil, d'fhéach air le súile imníoch ar an tsraith leabhar agus nótaí os delante.
En: Cian, a dedicated student with textbooks scattered around the room, trying to gather everything for the midterm exam, looked anxiously at the array of books and notes before him.

Ga: Léim a gcairde Niamh agus Ronan isteach sa seomra le gáire croíúil.
En: His friends Niamh and Ronan leaped into the room with hearty laughter.

Ga: "Imbolc atá ann amárach!
En: "Tomorrow is Imbolc!"

Ga: " arsa Niamh le gáirdeas ina glór.
En: said Niamh with joy in her voice.

Ga: Bhí tolg bhog sa choirnéal agus leiteacha te ag fanacht leo inniu.
En: There was a soft couch in the corner and hot porridge awaiting them today.

Ga: "Déanfaimid ceiliúradh, tá Fómhair breá geallta," a dúirt sí.
En: "We’ll celebrate; a fine autumn is promised," she said.

Ga: "Caithim díriú ar staidéir," a mheabhraigh Cian, ina thon treadalach.
En: "I need to focus on studying," Cian reminded, in a dragging tone.

Ga: "Ní féidir liom faillí a dhéanamh ar an scrúdú amárach.
En: "I can't neglect the exam tomorrow."

Ga: ""Bíonn Imbolc uair amháin sa bhliain," a chuir Ronan in iúl, agus é á neartú le nod nádurtha a dhéanamh le beochan sa tsáile.
En: "Imbolc only comes once a year," Ronan pointed out, reinforcing with an instinctive nod, animated in the ambiance.

Ga: "Déanfaimid ceiliúradh inniu agus is féidir leat éirí níos úr do mhárach.
En: "We'll celebrate today and you can be more refreshed for tomorrow."

Ga: "Bhí deacracht ag Cian é sin a ghlacadh.
En: Cian struggled to accept this.

Ga: Ar feadh na hoíche uair, logánaithe idir imní agus dúil san obair, bhí sé fós ag ardrialú.
En: For much of the night, caught between anxiety and a desire for work, he was still in high gear.

Ga: I lár an chiúnas seo, tháinig imníchrá ar Cian go tobann, beagán cosúil le sciathán i gcoinne na cloch.
En: In the midst of this stillness, worry suddenly struck Cian, somewhat like wings against stone.

Ga: Chrom sé a chuid lámha ar a cheann, a chloigeann ag bualadh i nódanna ceoil ina intinn.
En: He clasped his hands on his head, his mind pounding in musical beats within.

Ga: Síneadh Niamh, ag cur lámh bhog ar a ghuailne.
En: Niamh reached out, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Ga: "Cian, tóg sos.
En: "Cian, take a break.

Ga: Ní féidir leat a bheith i gcónaí ceart, ach is féidir le cara cabhrú uaireanta.
En: You can't always be right, but a friend can help sometimes."

Ga: "D’fhéach Cian isteach i súile chalm, naisc na mac léinn ag neartú.
En: Cian looked into her calm eyes, the bonds between the students strengthening.

Ga: Thóg sé anáil fhada, scaoil sé na prátaí lánúin.
En: He took a long breath, releasing the bundled burdens.

Ga: Tar éis imoibríochta, bhí mothú nua ann - mothú nach raibh air féin seafóid a tharraingt amach ina dhualgas faoi sholas pale an Earraigh nua ag teacht.
En: Following this reaction, there was a new feeling - a feeling that he didn't have to pull nonsense out of his duties under the pale light of the coming spring.

Ga: Anois i dteannta a gcairde, d'imigh Cian an dorchla, éagsúlacht daonna ag baint le chéile.
En: Now in the company of his friends, Cian walked down the hallway, a human variety mingling together.

Ga: Bhí an t-atmaisféar socair, ceoltais áitiúil ag seinm go mall.
En: The atmosphere was calm, local music playing slowly.

Ga: Bhí an saol níos mó ná himeachtaí acadúla, agus nuair a chuaigh sé abhaile chuileánach amach, bhí sí sneachta fós ag titim - ach bhí Cian réidh, fágtha ciúin le comhcheilg chroí.
En: Life was more than academic events, and as he headed out into the evening, the snow was still falling - but Cian was ready, left calm with a conspiracy of heart.

Ga: Bhí a fhios aige anois gur gá cothromaíochta idir cairdeas agus staidéar.
En: He now knew that a balance between friendship and study was necessary.

Ga: Dúisigh an tseachtain eile lena intinn cothaithe.
En: Awaken the next week with his mind nourished.


Vocabulary Words:

• gales: galaí
• harsh: géar
• constrained: faoi shrian
• scattered: aolscartha
• array: tsraith
• midterm: meántéarma
• anxiously: le súile imníoch
• hearty: croíúil
• laughter: gáire
• porridge: leiteacha
• neglect: faillí
• instinctive: nádurtha
• struggled: Bhí deacracht ag
• caught: logánaithe
• stillness: ciúnas
• worry: imní
• struck: tháinig
• clasped: chrom
• pounding: bualadh
• gentle: bhog
• shoulder: ghuailne
• bundled: prátaí lánúin
• burdens: ualach
• reaction: imoibríochta
• pale: pale
• company: teannta
• mingling: ag baint
• ambiance: atmaisféar
• conspiracy: comhcheilg
• nourished: cothaithe