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
Grits (novel) Grits (novel) Grits is the debut novel by British author Niall Griffiths, published in 2000 by Jonathan Cape. Set in and around Aberystwyth and concerning promiscuity, drugs, alcohol, and petty crime it gained for its author, who lives and works in the town the dubious honorific "the Welsh Irvine Welsh". The novel is largely autobiographical, Griffiths moved to Aberystwyth to research a PhD in post-war British poetry but soon became, as he puts it, an "enthusiastic participator in parties" and dropped out of his studies. Ianto, a character briefly appearing in "Grits" became the anti-hero of Griffith's second novel "Sheepshagger".