Irish writer J.M. Synge very much made this island famous in modern culture.  He lived on Inis Meáin for considerable time between 1898 and 1902 and drew a lot of inspiration from the island culture. Synge has penned ‘Riders To The Sea’, ‘The Playboy of The Western World’ ; where the main character in this world famous play ‘Playboy of the Western World’ was inspired by a man who was hiding from the authorities and had sought refuge on Inis Meain living in one of the local forts before taking a boat to America. Synge is also credited for his dramatic and accurate account of life on the islands ‘The Aran Islands’.

The small museum ‘Teach Synge’ (The House of Synge) at the old house where Synge used to live is dedicated to the writer and worth a visit for anyone who is curious about Irish history and/ or literature.