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Following on from my last blog about the Millennium Forum's new production of "Carthaginians" next month, I'm trying to work out if a workshop I took place in in the mid 1980s was the catalyst for the play. It must have been about 1985/1986. There was an ad in the Derry Journal, advertising a workshop called "How to make a Play" or "Making a play", can't remember exact name, but it was being facilitated by playwright Frank McGuinness and theatre director Joe Dowling. It was to take place in the old Foyle college school building on Lawrence Hill, which would become the Foyle Arts Centre and is now where the drama dept of the University of Ulster at Magee is housed. It's all a bit hazy now, but I do remember the other people on the course being very vocal about Bloody Sunday. The next thing is we're walking around the City Cemetery. McGuinness asked us to jot down whatever came into our heads. I had to ask him for a pen,Ìýand walked around gazing at headstones but if I'm honest, all I really remember is how freezing cold it was and wishingÌýwe wereÌýback indoors.Ìý

About aÌýyear afterÌýthat workshop, I was living in DublinÌýand saw that Frank McGuinness had a newÌýplay on at the Abbey. Carthaginians. Set in Derry. I booked my ticket and went along. I was struck by the subject matter, Bloody Sunday, set inÌýthe City Cemetery. I don't know if theÌýidea of the play was already bubbling in his head or our workshop acted as a catalyst. I justÌýwish I had kept that pen.Ìý

By the way, if you know anyone who was on that course please let me know. I would love to do something on it for the radio.