<P>' The Playboy of the Western World' is a three - act play written by Irish playwright John Millington Synge and first performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 26 January 1907 . It is set in Michael James Flaherty's public house in County Mayo (on the west coast of Ireland) during the early 1900s . It tells the story of Christy Mahon, a young man running away from his farm, claiming he killed his father . </P> <P> The locals are more interested in than in condemning the immorality of his murderous deed, and in fact, Christy's tale captures the romantic attention of the bar - maid Pegeen Mike, the daughter of Flaherty, but their relationship breaks up soon after as Christy states Pegeens gowl is, "on a cheerio ting still". The play is best known for its use of the poetic, evocative language of Hiberno - English, heavily influenced by the Irish language, as Synge celebrates the lyrical speech of the Irish . </P>

Who wrote the playboy of the western world