Eleanor Merriman struggled with reading and writing throughout school and was not diagnosed with dyslexia until she was 19. She has now written a book with dyslexic readers in mind.
Eleanor, who is from Naas, Co Kildare, home-educates her five children. Three of her sons also have dyslexia.
She wanted to write a book that would be inclusive to dyslexic and reluctant readers, and has just self-published her debut story, 'Up For The Match'.
"The font that I've used is dyslexia-friendly. I also have it doubled-spaced so it’s not cramped in, and these things make a huge difference to people with learning difficulties," she said.
"It's not specifically for people with learning difficulties, it's for everyone, it's just including them."
Eleanor said writing the book helped her to get through lockdown.
"It absolutely got on top of me," she said.
"I'd no contact with anyone else so I made myself have the discipline to do the writing twice or three times a week. It was a saving grace in terms of headspace for me."
The book focuses on a young boy's passion for the GAA and Eleanor drew on her own experiences from travelling to GAA matches with her grandparents for the story.
She also said it was important to her to incorporate learning in the book, as whenever her family is in the car, she will point out rivers and other geographical information to them.
10% of the profits from the sale of the book will be donated to Féileacáin - The Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association of Ireland in honour of Eleanor's friend's daughter who was stillborn four years ago.
