In 1992 Rough Magic initiated a writing awards scheme for women playwrights to encourage more women to write for the theatre.

The call for entries sought a one page treatment and a current curriculum vitae. 150 entries were received from women all over Ireland.

Awards were given to Ivy Bannister (Radical Changes), Pom Boyd (Down Onto Blue), Sylvia Cullen (The Bee Woman), Paula Meehan (Mrs Sweeney) and Roisin Sheerin (Lunchtimes).

All the scripts were workshopped and developed by the company and Down Onto Blue and Mrs Sweeney both received full productions, in 1994 and 1997 respectively.

The initiative was funded by the Gulbenkian Foundation, the Arts Council of Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.