From 25-28 October, Dublin will once again embrace its dark literary heritage as the Bram Stoker Festival returns to the city, transforming the streets into an eerie celebration of Gothic horror. Named after one of Dublin’s most iconic writers and one of the most renowned writers of the Victorian literary canon, the Bram Stoker Festival celebrates the ingenious creativity of Dracula’s author, and the legacy of Gothic horror, fittingly branding itself as “Four Days and Nights of Deadly Adventures.”
“Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Dublin’s shadowy streets, cathedrals, and mediaeval castles that once served to influence Stoker himself, the festival is the perfect autumn activity to get you in that spooky season mood”
Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Dublin’s shadowy streets, cathedrals, and mediaeval castles that once served to influence Stoker himself, the festival is the perfect autumn activity to get you in that spooky season mood. Whether you’re into haunting tours of the old Collins Barracks, or a night celebrating the Irish origins of Samhain in Workmans Cellar, the festival has something for you.
This year, the festival seeks to shine a light on the often overshadowed women of the Gothic horror genre. For lovers of theatre, the Abbey is hosting a staged reading of Dracula: Lucy’s Passion on Sunday the 27th at 6:30pm. Written by Bram Stoker and adapted to the stage by director Joan Sheehy, it tells the haunting story of Stoker’s iconic character Lucy as she falls victim to Dracula. For those who prefer something happening closer to home (home being campus), the GMB are hosting a live podcast by Donal Fallon called “The Women of Bram Stoker’s Life: Three Castles Burning Alive,” where he explores the lives of the women who influenced Stoker’s literature. This will take place on Sunday the 27th at 3:30pm with limited availability, so book those tickets fast if you’re interested!
For all you ghost story lovers, Marsh’s Library is running free tours full of spooky stories of ghosts, witches, and mummies, right in the library where Bram Stoker himself sat to research Transylvania and the legend of Vlad Dracul.
If you’re a horror enthusiast, join ‘Slaughterhouse’, a Dublin based horror club, in the Irish Film Institute. To embrace the innately Irish storytelling tradition, book tickets for Seanchoíche, a night of storytelling around the theme ‘The Horror Within.’ For the horror movie lovers, they are also hosting a 35th anniversary screening of the iconic Pet Sematary, and a masterclass in Irish horror with two of Ireland’s foremost horror directors, Kate Dolan and Lee Cronin.
Or, looking for something completely different? Join Schola Hyberniae in an evening of ancient and haunting chants and ritual songs, deriving from the rich Irish history of the Gregorian chant and bring Ireland’s eerie heritage to life in St. Ann’s Church, Westland Row, on Sunday the 27th.
“Whether you’re a horror aficionado, a Victorian Gothic literature enthusiast, or simply looking to experience Dublin in a new (spooky) light, the Bram Stoker Festival is a cultural event not to be missed”
For all of this and so much more, check out the website and grab whatever tickets you can – whether you’re a horror aficionado, a Victorian Gothic literature enthusiast, or simply looking to experience Dublin in a new (spooky) light, the Bram Stoker Festival is a cultural event not to be missed.
