Rugadh Ré O Laighlís sa Naigín, Co Atha Cliath in 1953. Ghlac sé céim sa tSocheolaíocht agus sa Ghaeilge in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe (1978) agus ghnóthaigh sé iarchéimeanna san Oideachas i gColáiste Phádraigh (G D Ed 1980) agus i mBoston College (M Ed 1983). Tá sé cáilithe freisin mar Shaineolaí Comhairleach sa Léitheoireacht ag an Massachusetts State Board of Education (1983). Chaith sé dhá bhliain déag mar mhúinteoir i Scoil Iognáid, Gaillimh. I 1996 foilsíodh a shainleabhar drámaíochta d'oidí agus do pháustí, Aistear Intinne (Coiscéim).

Is mar scríbhneoir úrscéalta, áfach, idir Ghaeilge agus Bhéarla, is mó atá aithne ar Ré O Laighléis. Tá aitheantas tugtha ag an gComhairle Ealaíon do thábhacht a scríbhínní trí Spárantachtaí sa Litríocht a bhronnadh air i 1991, 1995/'96 agus arís i 1999/2000. Scríobhann sé don déagóir agus don duine fásta araon agus tá saothair leis aistrithe go raidhse eile teangacha. Ar na saothair do dhéagóirí dá chuid is mó a bhfuil éileamh orthu tá Punk agus Scéalta Eile (Cló Mhaigh Eo), buaiteoir Dhuais na Comhdhála 1987, An Taistealaí (Cló Mhaigh Eo), Ecstasy agus Scéalta Eile (Cló Mhaigh Eo), a bhuaigh an Bisto Book of the Year Merit Award 1995, agus Gafa (Comhar).

Ré O Laighléis is a native of Sallynoggin, Co Dublin. A graduate of the University of Galway (1978), he has postgraduate degrees in education from St Patrick's College, Dublin and Boston College, Massachusetts. He taught in Galway for twelve years.

Since 1992, O Laighléis has been a full-time writer and lives in the Burren, Co Clare. Six of his plays were awarded the All Ireland Schools Drama title and he is a three-times winner of the Aodh O Ruairc Commemorative Drama Award. His Aistear Intinne (COISCEIM, 1996), is written for drama teachers and children.

He is best known, as a writer of novels and short stories. He is published in English and Italian, and is the biggest selling contemporary writer in the Irish language. He writes for both the adult and teenage reader, and has been awarded numerous literary awards in the various genres. He was twice winner of The Bisto Book of the Year Merit Award. Chagrin was his fourth book from Cló Mhaigh Eo following the novel 'An Taistealaí' and the short story collections 'Punk' and 'Ecstasy'.

Tá Ré Ó Laighléis ar fáil chun cuairt a thabhairt ar scoileanna faoi Scéim na Scríbhneoirí sna Scoileanna.

Under the Writers in Schools Scheme Ré is available to visit schools.