Naoise Ní Bhroin: Will the Fire Horse finally unlock your cúpla focal in 2026?
IMAGE.ie columnist Naoise Ní Bhroin (or @YogaLeNaoise as you might know her) is a certified yoga teacher with a deep passion for both wellbeing and the Irish language, and in this series she brings those two loves together. Naoise believes that the words we choose, and the language we use, shape how we connect with ourselves and the world around us. In weaving yoga and Irish together, Naoise offers us a fresh perspective on what it means to feel grounded, whole and truly at home in ourselves. This month, she tells us about the Irish language's place in the Year of Capall na Tine - the Fire Horse.
There is something in the air. An féidir leat é a mhothú? – Can you feel it? We have just moved through Séasúr na Cailleach – the season of the witch, the dark, wintry months of an bhliain Éireannach – the Irish year. The cailleach symbolises the ancient crone, a spiroad – spirit who strips an talamh – the land bare, testing our athléimneacht – resilience. And test us she did. Éire has not seen such leibhéal báistí – that level of rain since 1948. The wettest stretch in living memory, a true trial of our character!
Ansin, thart ar an 1ú Mí Feabhra – then, around the 1st of February, we welcomed Bríd. Bandia Bríd – Goddess Bríd, our Celtic Irish Goddess, who embodies tine, torthúlacht agus athnuachan – fire, fertility and renewal. Her energy arrived with Imbolg – Imbolc, a soft yet cumhachtach – powerful turning point of our Celtic year. Is cuimhneachán é Imbolg – Imbolc reminds us that solas – light returns, even when the ground is still fliuch báite – soaking wet.
Amidst the subtle pointe-casadh – turning points of our Celtic Irish féilire – calendar, there is something else quietly at play. The Chinese Lunar calendar marks 2025 as Bliain an Neathar Nimhe – the Year of the Snake, agus b’fhéidir – and perhaps it has been one of your most challenging years. A year that demanded fás – growth. A year of shedding what no longer serves and releasing seanchraicne – old skins. Athrú – change, scaoileadh – release, and misneach – courage capture the essence of 2025. The Neathar Nimhe – Snake taught us láidríocht ciún – quiet strength. Ach, níos mó ná sin – but more than that, it asked for our honesty by urging us to let go of people, places, habits, belongings, and even identities that have run their course.
Anois – now, on February 17, faoin gheallach lán – under the new moon, the energy shifts again as we move into the Year of Capall na Tine – the Fire Horse. A symbol of momentum, vitality, and bold self-expression. Más rud é go raibh an Neathar ag cogarnáil – If the Snake whispered, the Horse gallops. This is the year of fuinneamh – energy, muinín – confidence, and stepping fully into your fírinne – truth. The Fire Horse does not wait for permission. Ritheann sé – it runs.
If you’ve felt the intensity of these natural shifts, you’ll sense that this is also a year for an teanga Gaeilge – the Irish language itself. A year to stop apologising for speaking it. A year to embody bród – pride and féiniúlacht – identity. You don’t need foirfeacht – perfection, only willingness. B’fhéidir gurb é seo do bhliain? – Maybe this is your year. A year to ardú suas – rise, to fully release the shackles that have held you back, and a year for an teanga Gaeilge.
The wisdom of these traidisiún ársa – ancient traditions reminds us to move with nádúr – nature. Gaeilge has always been fite fuaite – intertwined with the rhythms of the natural world. Perhaps all it takes now is cúpla focal, spoken with fire.
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