Dracula.
Born in Dublin
Shared with the World

The story of the most famous vampire is forever woven into the history of Dublin. A city famous for its writers and poets, Dublin is the birthplace of Dracula author Bram Stoker.

While working in his hometown as a theatre critic and civil servant, Stoker began to write short stories and novels late in life. Although written during his time in London, Dracula pays homage to Stoker’s Irish roots. The name itself is said to have originated from the Irish Gaelic term for dark or black blood.

Visitors to Dublin can walk in the footsteps of one of the original masters of horror. From his first home at 15 Marino Crescent to Dublin Castle where Stoker worked as a civil servant, much of Stoker’s Dublin helped influence his later writings about the world’s most legendary vampire and other disturbing creations.

It was during his youth in Dublin that Stoker wrote in his journal about a boy collecting flies in a bottle, a scene reminiscent of Dracula’s underling, Renfield. Stoker’s story of Dracula was also shaped by his knowledge and interest in Irish tales of blood-sucking beings, faeries, shape shifters and demons.

Although Bram Stoker was not the first person to bring the story of vampires to life, his account of Dracula has become the standard in tales about these creatures. A character created by a Dubliner and influenced by Irish tales has influenced countless novels and films about Dracula and other vampires. Stoker’s most famous character has now become one of the most prolific fictional characters in film, haunting generations of moviegoers around the world.