Bhí meascán de phéacóg agus de pháistí ag aoibh gháire os comhair Áine ar Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin.

A mix of peacocks and children were smiling ahead of Áine on the Wild Atlantic Way.

An Dún Mór, áit álainn i nGaeltacht Chiarraí.

Dún Mór, a beautiful place in the Kerry Gaeltacht.

Fuar sí cluas ar a bhfuil ag tarlú sa cheantar, ach seo scéal nach raibh súil aici leis.

She caught word of what was happening in the area, but this was a story she did not expect.

Chonaic Áine comhartha mór ag fógairt fiailfeirme mánaigh, mar sin chuaigh sí isteach.

Áine saw a large sign advertising a sheep shearing contest, so she went in.

Bhí a lán damháin gaoithe agus dathanna de gach saghas.

There were a lot of spider webs and colors of all kinds.

Thosaigh sí ag caint le fear meánaosta darb ainm Séamus.

She began talking to a middle-aged man named Séamus.

“Cad is féidir liom a dhéanamh anseo inniu?” d'fhiafraigh sí.

“What can I do here today?” she asked.

“Bhuel,” ar sé, “tá comórtas ag dul ar aghaidh.

“Well,” he said, “there’s a competition going on.

Is comórtas caorach é.

It’s a sheep shearing contest.

An bhfuil tú ag iarraidh páirt a ghlacadh?”

Do you want to participate?”

“Ó,” arsa Áine ag gáire.

“Oh,” Áine said, laughing.

“Cén fáth nach bhfuil? Tá sé cosúil le margadh feirmeora, nach bhfuil?”

“Why not? It’s like a farmer’s market, isn’t it?”

Chá bhfuair Áine amach nach mar sin a bhí go dtí gur chaith sí éadach feirmeora uirthi féin.

Áine didn’t realize it wasn’t like that until she put on farming clothes herself.

Bhí truicear ag an doras mar shíolta sa ghaoith.

There was a trigger at the door like seeds in the wind.

Chuaigh sí isteach sa pháirc agus thosaigh an comórtas.

She entered the field and the contest began.

Tháinig turraing ar Áine nuair a scaoileadh na caoirigh.

Áine was shocked when the sheep were released.

Dhúisigh an rómhaith faoi dheireadh di nuair a thosaigh na caoirigh ag rith léi.

She woke up to reality when the sheep started running toward her.

“Seacht n-ainmhí, fiche!

“Seven, twenty animals!

Cad is féidir liom a dhéanamh?” a mheabhraigh sí.

What can I do?” she thought.

Bhí sé cosúil le spriocpháirc rambai!

It was like a target field of rams!

Rith sí ar an tSliabh an Tuaigh, ach lean na caoirigh í.

She ran up Sliabh an Tuaigh, but the sheep followed her.

Bheith sí neamhábaltacht ag bainistiú an tréad.

She was unable to manage the flock.

Bhí sí ag iarraidh iad a cuartú, ach rith siad i ngach treo.

She tried to round them up, but they ran in all directions.

Ghlaoigh Séamus sa deireadh, “Ná bí buartha, Áine!

Séamus called out at last, “Don’t worry, Áine!

Tarlúíonn sé sin do gach tosaitheoir.”

That happens to every beginner.”

Stop sí agus bhreathnaigh siar ar na caoirigh.

She stopped and looked back at the sheep.

Bhí siad ag seachadadh mar a dhéanamh go minic.

They were behaving as they often did.

Cailleann Áine an comórtas ach fuair sí cuimhne shollúnta agus cairde nua sa cheantar.

Áine lost the contest but gained a solemn memory and new friends in the area.

Fágann Áine an pháirc, gáire ar a haghaidh.

She left the field, a smile on her face.

“Níl aon áit cosúil le Dún Mór,” ar sise.

“There’s no place like Dún Mór,” she said.

Agus bhí sí ar ais sa bhaile le scéal iontach le hinsint.

And she was back home with a great story to tell.