John Synge was an Irish dramatist and poet who is best known for his play 'The Playboy of the Western World'. He was born in 1871 and died in 1909. He was a major figure in the Irish Literary Revival and wrote several plays, including 'Riders to the Sea' and 'The Well of the Saints'. He was also a member of the Abbey Theatre, which was founded in 1904. Synge's works are still widely performed today.