Bhí sé ina oíche chiúin gealaí ar an trá, an ghrian díreach tar éis dul faoi.

It was a quiet, moonlit night on the beach, with the sun just having set.

Bhí gaoth bheag ag séideadh, ag iompar boladh na mara lena raibh braon dóchais Imbolc i ngach análú.

A slight breeze was blowing, carrying the smell of the sea, with a hint of the hope of Imbolc in every breath.

Bhí Aisling, an deirfiúr is sine, ag breathnú amach ar na tonnta bog, a croí trom le brón agus imní.

Aisling, the eldest sister, was gazing out at the gentle waves, her heart heavy with sorrow and worry.

Bhí a deartháir, Ciarán, ag stánadh go dubhach isteach sa tine bheag a las sé.

Her brother, Ciarán, was staring gloomily into the small fire he’d lit.

Ba é seo an teachtaireacht deireanach uaidh dóibh go léir.

This was the last message from him for all of them.

Ach anois, b'fhearr leis bheith in áit eile.

But now, he preferred to be elsewhere.

Bhí sé ag ceapadh go raibh an cruinniú seo rud beag éigeantach agus gan chiall.

He thought this meeting was somewhat forced and meaningless.

Ní raibh a fhios aige conas an bhearna a líonadh gan a máthair, an ceangailteoir teaghlaigh.

He didn’t know how to bridge the gap without their mother, the family’s binding force.

Bhí Maeve, ar an taobh eile, níos ciúine ná mar a bhí sí riamh.

Maeve, on the other hand, was quieter than ever.

I measc an tráthnóna biotáilleach, bhí sí caillte ina smaointe féin, idir a saol pearsanta agus na fadhbanna atá ag cur brú uirthi.

Amid the spirited evening, she was lost in her own thoughts, between her personal life and the problems that were weighing heavily on her.

Bhí sí i láthair, ach a intinn ag fánaíocht.

She was present, but her mind was wandering.

Bhí Aisling ag faire ar a siblíní, agus bhraith sí an t-uallach in uirthi féin.

Aisling was watching her siblings, and she felt the burden upon herself.

"Tá rud éigin le léamh agamsa daoibh," arsa Aisling go cúramach, ag suathadh an pháipéir óna máthair sa solas gealánach.

“I have something to read to you all,” said Aisling carefully, smoothing the paper from their mother in the moonlight.

Shuigh Ciarán níos cóngaraí don tine, cé nach raibh sé ró-thoilteanach.

Ciarán scooted closer to the fire, though he wasn’t too willing.

D’amharc Maeve suas le súile ceistíochta.

Maeve looked up with questioning eyes.

Bhí an aimsir fuar, ach bhí teas ag teacht as focail a n-iníne is sine.

The weather was cold, but warmth emanated from the words of their eldest daughter.

"D'aon ghnó, scríobh Mamaí rud éigin dúinn ar fad," lean Aisling.

“Mamaí deliberately wrote something for all of us,” continued Aisling.

Thosaigh sí ag léamh, a guth lán le grá agus cumha.

She began reading, her voice full of love and yearning.

Fuair an litir an teachtaireacht shoiléir go raibh grá mór ann agus go raibh nasc láidir fós ann a raibh gá é a chothú.

The letter conveyed the clear message that there was a great love and a strong bond that needed nurturing.

De réir mar a lean Aisling ar aghaidh leis an léamh, chaith na focail go mór ar Ciarán, ag briseadh síos an bhalla a bhí tógtha aige.

As Aisling continued reading, the words deeply affected Ciarán, breaking down the wall he had built.

Tháinig deora ina shúile, agus d’admhaigh sé a andúile féin chun a bheith i bhfad uathu.

Tears came to his eyes, and he acknowledged his tendency to distance himself.

Agus thuig Maeve go raibh tacaíocht ag teastáil uaithi níos mó ná riamh.

And Maeve realized she needed support more than ever.

Ag deireadh na litreach, bhí ciúnas, ach níorbh é an ciúnas sin a bhí lán de stróinséir.

At the end of the letter, there was silence, but it wasn’t the silence of a stranger.

Bhí sé sásúil.

It was satisfying.

Rinne máthair éachtaí fós ina gaigí ó lár na h-oíche.

Their mother still accomplished feats from the depths of the night.

Ghlac Ciarán le lámha a dheirfiúracha, ag rá, "Tá brón orm, níor thuig mé cé chomh tábhachtach is atá sé seo go dtí seo."

Ciarán took his sisters' hands, saying, “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how important this was until now.”

D’fhreagair Maeve, "Táim sásta go bhfuil muid le chéile. Geallaimid tacú lena chéile níos fearr."

Maeve replied, “I’m glad we’re together. Let’s promise to support each other better.”

Bhí áthas ar Aisling; ní raibh sí umair aonair.

Aisling was happy; she wasn’t a lone tank.

An oíche sin, bhí a fhios aici nach raibh sí ina haonar, nach raibh sí faoi brú; chomh maith leis sin, bhí a siblíní de shíor ar an gcoinnleoir céanna.

That night, she knew she wasn’t alone, she wasn’t pressured; also, her siblings were forever on the same candlestick.

Lao atá a chaibidil nua tosnaithe i saol a ngnóthachan teaghlaigh.

A chapter had begun in the life of their family unity.

Ag breathnú ar aghaidh, shocraigh siad go mbeadh an teaghlach tábhachtach i gcónaí, ag cinntiú gur comhráite le leanúint iad, ná gur mar deilíní súgáin a bhféadfaí iad a bhriseadh gan ghá.

Looking ahead, they decided the family would always be important, ensuring that conversations would continue, not like straw spindles that could be broken unnecessarily.