Lord Dunsany (1878-1957) Born in London of an Anglo-Irish family that could trace its roots back to the twelfth century, Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany, was a globetrotter, sportsman, hunter, poet, playwright and chessplayer. He wrote The Gods of Pegana in 1904, which became an unexpected succès d'estime and was followed by several collections which have been an inspiration for modern fantasy writers.