I gcois na sléibhte i bPáirc Náisiúnta Chonamara, bhí sneachta bán mar bhlaincéad ar fud an tírdhreacha.

At the foot of the mountains in Páirc Náisiúnta Chonamara, snow lay white like a blanket across the landscape.

Bhí an ghealach suí go hard sa spéir, agus bhí na réaltaí ag glioscarnach go ciúin.

The moon sat high in the sky, and the stars twinkled quietly.

Lá Vailintín a bhí ann, ach ní raibh grá rómánsúil sa scéal seo; ina ionad sin, bhí cúnamh agus dlúthpháirtíocht de dhíth.

It was Valentine's Day, but there was no romantic love in this story; instead, help and solidarity were needed.

D'fhéach Aisling amach ós cionn an loch chiúin, a croí lán le mothúcháin éagsúla.

Aisling looked out over the calm lake, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Bhí fonn uirthi a deartháir, Cian, a fheiceáil arís.

She longed to see her brother, Cian, once more.

Bhí siad scartha le blianta, ag fás isteach inár saol féin, le níos mó rudaí neamhspleácha gafa orthu sa chathair.

They had been separated for years, growing into their own lives, with more independent things capturing them in the city.

Timpeall uirthi, bhí tírdhreach álainn Chonamara ag saol go mall sa gheimhreadh.

Around her, Chonamara's beautiful landscape was slowly awakening in the winter.

D'éirigh slogáin ceo ón talamh fliuch, ag cruthú scáthanna agus soilse ar fud an ghleanna.

Wisps of fog rose from the wet ground, casting shadows and lights across the valley.

Bhí Cian, níos déine agus a bhfuil an t-am a tháinig idir é féin agus a dheirfiúr ag cur go mór air. Bhí sé ar intinn aige caint léi faoin scoilt seo, ach chuir an t-oighear cosc ar a szálta go minic.

Cian, more intense and with the time that had come between him and his sister weighing heavily on him, intended to talk to her about their estrangement, but the ice often hindered his steps.

Thosaigh Aisling an laethanta seo ag smaoineamh ar an gcaoi ar fhásadar le chéile.

Aisling began these days by reflecting on how they grew up together.

Bhí cuimhní aige ar laethanta samhraidh, taobh raite agus eachtraíochta timpeall ag na canálacha.

She had memories of summer days, by the banks and adventuring around the canals.

Anois, bhí gach rud difriúil.

Now, everything was different.

D'aithin sí gur éiríodh an t-uaigneas eatarthu.

She realized the loneliness had crept in between them.

D'iarr sí ar Cian bualadh léi san áit is ansa léi sa domhan.

She asked Cian to meet her in her favorite place in the world.

Agus iad ag siúl na sléibhte, ní raibh caint, ach níorbh é an tost gan chiall.

As they walked the mountains, there was no talk, but the silence was not meaningless.

Bhí Cian ag smaoineamh ar an rud ba cheart dó a rá.

Cian was pondering what he should say.

Bhí a fhios aige go raibh gá le hathrú.

He knew change was needed.

Bhí an suíomh álainn ag cuidiú le Aisling labhairt faoi na mothúcháin a bhí aici.

The beautiful setting helped Aisling talk about the feelings she had.

“Cian,” a dúirt sí go socair, “is fada ó bhíomar le chéile ar an mbealach seo.

“Cian,” she said calmly, “it's been a long time since we've been together like this.

Ní theastaíonn uaim go mbeadh an fad sin idir muid níos mó.”

I don't want that distance between us anymore.”

D'éist Cian go cúramach, agus bhris an clog caol ina chroí.

Cian listened carefully, and the thin bell in his heart broke.

“Tá aiféala orm, Aisling,” a d'fhreagair sé, a ghlór go hionraic.

“I'm sorry, Aisling,” he replied, his voice sincere.

“Bhí mé ró-chúthail chun mise a chur in iúl.”

“I’ve been too shy to express myself.”

Bhí an t-uisce go ciúin ag tuilleadh ar fud an locha.

The water quietly lapped across the lake.

Bhí sé mar má bhí na focail istigh iontu ag rith go saor.

It was as if the words within them were finally flowing freely.

In am sin, tháinig tuiscint eatarthu.

In that moment, understanding came between them.

Bhí séasúr na gheimhreadh difriúil uathu ó shin.

Their winter season was different from then on.

Bhí sé lán de gheallúint agus d'áthas nua aimseartha.

It was full of new promise and newfound joy.

cosúil le crainn ag cailliúint a dteaghráin, bhí siad réidh le fáiltíocht a thabhairt do shéasúr nua dá ngaol.

Like trees losing their leaves, they were ready to welcome a new season for their relationship.

Mar a d'fhág siad Páirc Náisiúnta Chonamara taobh le taobh, bhí na grianghraif deirfiúracha óige tarraingthe ar ais acu.

As they left Páirc Náisiúnta Chonamara side by side, the youthful twin images were drawn back to them.

Bhí ríoga déanta – ní chuireadh scealla an gheimhridh óna chéile iad arís.

A promise was made – the shards of winter would not drive them apart again.

Smaoinigh Cian, sa deireadh, ar an gcaithfidh a bheith éasca labhairt.

Cian thought, finally, about how easy it must be to talk.

“Bíonn caitheamh aimsire i bhfad níos taitneamhaí, Aisling,” a dúirt sé, ag briseadh an tost.

"Pastimes are much more enjoyable, Aisling," he said, breaking the silence.

Agus dhruid siad i gcéin i dtreo an turas síoraí i measc an tírdhreacha a bhí ag mochadh.

And they moved away towards the eternal journey among the awakening landscape.