Irvine Welsh: Trainspotting Today

Irvine Welsh, Scottish author of the era-defining Trainspotting, closes the 2025 Folkestone Book Festival with an unmissable night of fire, flair and fearless storytelling.

His new novel, Men in Love, is the long-awaited sequel to his 1996 cult classic – a raw, riotous plunge back into the lives of Renton, Sick Boy and the gang. Set in the late 1980s, during the closing years of Thatcher’s Britain, it’s a darkly funny, emotionally charged story of sex, friendship, obsession and men on the brink – trying to work out what love means in a country coming apart at the seams.

With his trademark bite, wit and defiant heart, Welsh captures the chaos of a generation – and the emotional fallout that lingers long after the party ends.

Welsh has helped shape how we understand masculinity, rebellion and identity. Folkestone knows all about contradiction – beauty and grit, escape and entrapment, reinvention and defiance. Welsh’s work speaks directly to that tension: the undercurrent of chaos beneath the calm, and the poetry found in the rawness of real life. An event not to be missed!

The chair for this event is Giles Croft. Giles is a playwright and theatre director, and former Artistic Director of Nottingham Playhouse. Over three decades, he has directed hundreds of productions and championed new writing across the UK. Giles combines storytelling insight with an intuitive flair for live conversation.

Please note: this event lasts for one hour, followed by an opportunity to purchase the book upstairs in The Clearing and have it signed by the author

This event is kindly sponsored by Holiday Extras

FIND OUT MORE

Folkestone Book Festival is our annual celebration of books, bold ideas and the power of storytelling – by the sea. Curated by award-winning author and journalist Sophie Haydock (The Flames, Madame Matisse), this year’s programme features more than 50 events over 11 days, bringing together world-class writers, radical thinkers and unforgettable conversations – all inspired by Folkestone’s spirit of enabling creativity and transformative change.

We want the festival to be for everyone. That’s why we’ve introduced a £5 ticket – a no-questions-asked option for anyone who might be struggling to afford events.

And if you’re planning to come to more than a handful of events, don’t miss our great-value Festival Pass, which gives you access to all events (excluding classes, which need to be booked separately) for just £140.

There’s so much to discover – from headline talks to intimate workshops, big ideas to local voices. Check out the full programme, including our much-loved Local Talent Showcase and a new series of Creative Writing Workshops designed to spark your imagination.

We delighted that our onsite bookseller this year is Waterstones Folkestone.

We thank our major sponsor Saga and supporting sponsors Eurotunnel, Holiday Extras and Friends of the Folkestone Book Festival along with our Education Partner, Canterbury Christ Church University for making this year's festival possible. Creative Folkestone is also supported by Arts Council England, Folkestone and Hythe District Council and The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust.