Stammer is a personal memoir of growing up with a chronic stutter and how it affected the author's emotional and physical wellbeing. For 29 years of his life he could not say his name without stammering. The book deals with his difficult childhood, the emotional abuse he suffered, and how he used hurling and football to express himself, progressing to playing senior hurling for the Dublin team.
It also charts the deterioration in his mental health, culminating in periods of self-harm and suicidal thoughts following the breakup of his marriage. Redemption comes as the author gained control of his speech and mental health through intensive therapy and gained acceptance with the help of a new relationship.
Topics covered include:
- Stammering
- Self-harm
- Suicidal thoughts
- Hurling and Gaelic football
- Marital breakdown
- Familial relationships
- Speech therapy
- Mental health
- Empowerment
- Self-acceptance
- Hard work
- Bravery
- Redemption
