Roddy Doyle discusses work at Edinburgh festival

Roddy Doyle, Pete McCarthy and Irvine Welsh were among the authors discussing their work today at a global book festival.

Booker Prize winner Roddy Doyle will preview a short story about the Rabbitte family, made famous in his Barrytown trilogy.

Pete McCarthy will talk about his best-selling book, McCarthy’s Bar, and discuss his latest project.

The writer and broadcaster, was born in Warrington to an Irish mother and an English father, is off in search of his namesakes around the world from the Irish diaspora.

Welsh will be previewing his new novel, Porno, during the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which runs at Charlotte Square Gardens in the city until Monday.

Porno, which is the sequel to the iconic Trainspotting, features Sick Boy, Begbie and all of the cult author’s other classic characters from his now-legendary debut.

The authors are among a record 550 writers who have converged on the Scottish capital for its 13th book festival, which has attracted more than 120,000 visitors.

Tomorrow, playwright Harold Pinter will appear at the festival in what is believed to be his first public engagement since he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in February.