But there was one big problem. For many years, he had struggled with a crippling travel phobia that left him largely confined to his hometown in West Cork.

To fulfil his publishing contract, he had to face his deepest fears. The Last Ditch is a story about mental health, hidden shame and a life-changing moment in a remote train station. It's about a hurling championship which may have been the greatest ever played and a football championship which definitely was not.

It's about unlikely triumphs, remarkable renaissances, shocks, cliff-hangers and heartbreaks on the pitch. Off the field, it is the story of one man's embrace of a changing Ireland as he takes back his life. Both an unforgettable sports odyssey and a revelatory personal account, The Last Ditch is a celebration of resilience, the healing power of connection and the unifying spirit of the GAA.