Irvine Welsh a play, and a film adaptation, directed by Danny Boyle and written by John Hodge, was released in 1996. Welsh appeared in the film in the minor role of drug dealer Mikey Forrester. The novel has since achieved a cult status, aided by the popularity of the film. Next, Welsh released "The Acid House", a collection of short stories from "Rebel Inc.", "New Writing Scotland" and other sources. Many of the stories take place in and around the housing schemes from "Trainspotting", and employ many of the same themes; a touch of fantasy is apparent in stories such as "The
Richard Irvine Best Richard Irvine Best Richard Irvine Best (1872 – 25 September 1959), often known as R. I. Best, was an Irish scholar who specialised in Celtic Studies. Best was born into a Protestant family in Derry and educated at Foyle College before working for a time in a bank. As a young man he went to Paris to study Old Irish, where he met Kuno Meyer and attended Henri d'Arbois de Jubainville's lectures at the Collège de France. On his return to Ireland he translated the latter's "Le Cycle Mythologique Irlandais et la Mythologie Celtique" into English and became Assistant Director