John Millington Synge found much of his artistic inspiration in the west of Ireland, particularly the Aran Islands, where he listened to local speech and observed the lives of island communities. Encouraged by W. B. Yeats to explore Ireland's living traditions, he developed a dramatic style rich in rhythm, imagination, and earthy humour. His best-known play, The Playboy of the Western World, caused controversy when it opened in Dublin in 1907. Alongside Yeats and Lady Gregory, Synge helped establish the Abbey Theatre as a home for a distinctive Irish national drama. He died in 1909, aged only 37.