Among Synge's many works are 'Riders to the Sea' (1904), hailed by many to be the finest one act tragedy of the 20th century, and his master drama 'The Playboy of the Western World' (1907).
JM Synge first visited the island house in 1898, where his hosts were Brid and Paidin MacDonnchadha (MacDonagh). MsTheresa Ni Fhatharta, the great granddaughter of Synge's hosts started a campaign to have the house restored. This project has been completed and it was restored as closely as possible to the way it was when JM Synge visited the Mac Donagh family. It is now open in the summer months as a Synge Museum.
Memorabilia includes photographs, drawings and letters. A converted stone out house now holds a small reference library of relevant publications by and about Synge, Yeats and Lady Gregory.