Playwright Phillip McMahon has been named as The Abbey Theatre’s 2009 Writer-in-Association. Which means a bursary for McMahon, the founder of thisispopbaby and writer of Danny and Chantelle (still here) and All Over Town, as well as finding his name in the same sentence as those of former Writers-in-Association Sebastian Barry, Marina Carr, Hilary Fannin, Mark O’Rowe and Enda Walsh.  Good news at last from sponsors Anglo Irish Bank and possible proof that they’re not all bad. Any thoughts on the national theatre’s choice for the award?