Fluent Fiction - Irish: Holiday Gifts of Heart: A Christmas Story in Dublin
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ga/episode/2025-11-27-23-34-02-ga

Story Transcript:

Ga: An Nollaig a bhí ann i mBaile Átha Cliath.
En: It was Christmas in Baile Átha Cliath.

Ga: Bhí faiche an Mhargaidh Nollag lán le daoine.
En: The Christmas market square was full of people.

Ga: Bhí boladh fíon te agus cnónna rósta san aer.
En: The smell of mulled wine and roasted nuts was in the air.

Ga: Bhí soilse ag lonrú thar na seastáin, agus bhí gáirí agus ceol carúl ar fud an áite.
En: Lights were shining over the stalls, and laughter and carol music were everywhere.

Ga: Bhí Ciarán ann le Siobhán, a dheirfiúr.
En: Ciarán was there with Siobhán, his sister.

Ga: Bhí sé ag iarraidh bronntanais Nollag a fháil dá theaghlach.
En: He was trying to find Christmas presents for his family.

Ga: Ach bhí a bhuiséad beag.
En: But his budget was small.

Ga: Bhí sé ag smaoineamh agus ag imní.
En: He was thinking and worrying.

Ga: Dá mbeadh sé rómhór, bheadh bronntanais shuaracha aige.
En: If he overspent, he would end up with meager gifts.

Ga: Siobhán chabhródh linn.
En: Siobhán was trying to help.

Ga: Ach bhí sí beagán mífhoighneach.
En: But she was a bit impatient.

Ga: "Ciarán," a dúirt sí, "níl mórán ama againn. An bhfuil a fhios agat cad a theastaíonn uait a cheannach?"
En: "Ciarán," she said, "we don’t have much time. Do you know what you want to buy?"

Ga: "Cinnte, ach ní raibh mé cinnte," a d'fhreagair Ciarán.
En: "Sure, but I wasn’t sure," replied Ciarán.

Ga: Bhí teannas idir grinn agus éadóchas aige.
En: He felt a tension between humor and despair.

Ga: Ar an gcéanna, bhí a fhios ag Ciarán go raibh Niamh, a chailín, an-ghrámhar ar laethanta saoire.
En: At the same time, Ciarán knew that Niamh, his girlfriend, loved the holidays.

Ga: Bhí sí ag siúl timpeall na margaí, a súile ag lonrú.
En: She was walking around the markets, her eyes gleaming.

Ga: Ní raibh tuairim aici faoina imní.
En: She had no idea about his worries.

Ga: Agus iad ag siúl, chonaic Ciarán siopa beag le hearraí lámhdhéanta.
En: As they walked, Ciarán saw a small shop with handmade items.

Ga: Shíl sé ar scéal a d'inis Niamh uair amháin faoi chuimhní a hóige.
En: He remembered a story Niamh once told about childhood memories.

Ga: Bhí cófra beag ann, cosúil le ceann a bhí aici nuair a bhí sí óg.
En: There was a small chest, similar to one she had when she was young.

Ga: Bhí rud éigin speisialta san áit seo.
En: There was something special about this place.

Ga: Mhothaigh Ciarán nasc.
En: Ciarán felt a connection.

Ga: Bhí fhios aige anois cad a dhéanamh.
En: He knew now what to do.

Ga: "Seo í," a dúirt sé go tobann le Siobhán.
En: "This is it," he suddenly said to Siobhán.

Ga: "Tá sé foirfe."
En: "It's perfect."

Ga: Cheannaigh Ciarán an cófra beag agus rud beag eile dá dheirfiúr, rud a chuirfidh sí i gcuimhne d’áit ar chaith sí roinnt laethanta saoire thar lear.
En: Ciarán bought the small chest and something else for his sister, a thing that would remind her of the place she spent some holidays abroad.

Ga: Ní raibh siad costasach.
En: They weren’t expensive.

Ga: Ach bhraith siad speisialta.
En: But they felt special.

Ga: Nuair a tháinig Oíche Nollag, thug Ciarán a chuid bronntanais do Niamh agus do Siobhán.
En: When Christmas Eve came, Ciarán gave his gifts to Niamh and Siobhán.

Ga: D'oscail Niamh an cófra le raithneach ina súileanna.
En: Niamh opened the chest with excitement in her eyes.

Ga: "Is cosúil go bhfuil sé díreach cosúil le ceann a bhí agam!" a dúirt sí, a croí lán le háthas.
En: "It looks just like the one I had!" she said, her heart full of joy.

Ga: Bhí Siobhán ag gáire freisin.
En: Siobhán was laughing too.

Ga: "Tá sé ceannródach, Ciarán," a dúirt sí.
En: "It’s visionary, Ciarán," she said.

Ga: "Tá an oiread sin smaointe eachtardhomhanda ann."
En: "There is so much imagination in it."

Ga: Bhí a fhios ag Ciarán anois go raibh an brabús ceart déanta aige.
En: Ciarán now knew he had made the right choice.

Ga: A thuiscint go léiríonn an bronntanas is mó cuspóir an chroí.
En: Understanding that the greatest gift reflects the heart's purpose.

Ga: Ghlac a chruthaitheacht agus a antrumas.
En: It captured his creativity and generosity.

Ga: Agus bhí saoire foirfe acu, lán de ghliondar agus de mheasa.
En: And they had a perfect holiday, full of delight and appreciation.


Vocabulary Words:

• mulled: fíon te
• meager: shuaracha
• tension: teannas
• despair: éadóchas
• gleaming: ag lonrú
• handmade: lámhdhéanta
• connection: nasc
• abroad: thar lear
• excitement: raithneach
• imagination: smaointe eachtardhomhanda
• visionary: ceannródach
• generosity: antrumas
• appreciation: measa
• delight: gliondar
• purpose: cuspóir
• captured: ghlac
• creativity: cruthaitheacht
• laughter: gáirí
• stall: seastáin
• market: Mhargaidh
• budget: bhuiséad
• impatient: mífhoighneach
• sister: dheirfiúr
• suddenly: go tobann
• chest: cófra
• reflects: léiríonn
• bronntanais: gifts
• cailín: girlfriend
• holiday: saoire
• boladh: smell