Oíche Nollag: Christmas Eve

A candle in the window, and a door left on the latch.

Bhí an teach glan agus an tine lasta.
The house was clean and the fire lit.

Chuir mo mháthair coinneal mhór sa fhuinneog.
My mother put a big candle in the window.

Is é an duine is óige sa teach a lasann í.
It is the youngest person in the house who lights it.

Sin mise, go fóill.
That is me, for now.

Fágtar an doras ar an laiste.
The door is left on the latch.

“Ar eagla go mbeadh duine ar an mbóthar,” a deir sí.
“In case there would be someone on the road,” she says.

Taobh amuigh, tá an baile ciúin faoi shioc.
Outside, the town is quiet under frost.

Tá soilse ar gach fuinneog síos an tsráid.
There are lights in every window down the street.

Ní chodlaíonn na páistí ar chor ar bith.
The children do not sleep at all.

Suímid cois na tine ag caint go déanach.
We sit by the fire talking late.

Múchtar an choinneal ar maidin, agus ní roimhe sin.
The candle is put out in the morning, and not before that.

Nollaig shona daoibh.
Happy Christmas to you all.

A note on this one

The candle in the window on Christmas Eve is an old custom, and the story told about it is that it lights the way for Mary and Joseph looking for a room. In Penal times it is said to have told a priest which houses he could knock at. <b>Nollaig</b> comes from the Latin <i>natalicia</i>, the birthday feast.