Where Dracula Was Born: A Gothic Journey Through Dublin

Bram Stoker Festival, Borealis, Dublin Castle, Dublin City

There is one place in the world where Halloween isn’t just celebrated, it’s part of the heritage. Welcome to Ireland, the true home of Halloween, where ancient Celtic traditions and gothic legends collide in a celebration unlike anywhere else on Earth. 

Long before trick-or-treaters knocked on doors or pumpkins glowed on porches, Halloween began here — in the mists of pagan Ireland, over 2,000 years ago. Known then as Samhain (pronounced “Sow-in”), this ancient festival marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of darker nights. It was believed that during Samhain, the veil between worlds thinned, and spirits could walk among the living. Today, Ireland channels this rich history into a season of spine-tingling festivals and torchlit parades.  

But Ireland’s eerie credentials don’t stop there. 

Ghostbus Tour, Dublin City

Few visitors know that one of the world’s most iconic horror figures — Count Dracula — was conjured up not in Transylvania, but in Dublin.  

Bram Stoker, the man behind Dracula, was born and raised in the Irish capital. Inspired by tales of the supernatural, Ireland’s gothic landscapes, and dark folklore, he penned the infamous 1897 novel that still sends shivers down spines today. 

Bram Stoker, born in Dublin during the Great Irish Famine in 1847, was shaped by a childhood of illness, folklore, and fireside storytelling. His mother’s chilling accounts of disease and death in Sligo, combined with Ireland’s rich gothic tradition inspired his fascination with the supernatural. Stoker explored vampire legends, and drew from Irish myth, European history, and the dramatic world of Victorian theatre to craft Dracula. The dark beauty and layered history of Ireland clearly left their mark—today, visitors can explore the atmospheric landscapes, libraries, and legends that helped give rise to one of the world’s most iconic literary monsters.  

Every Halloween, Dublin celebrates its famous son and ghoulish creation at the Bram Stoker Festival (31 October – 3 November). The festival is a mix of theatrical performances, literary events, spine-tingling entertainment and night tours that delve into the dark side of Dublin. Two of this year’s most anticipated festival events are Kaidan, a screening of Japanese ghost stories with a live music score, and Songs of the Spirits: East Meets West – a concert involving a mix of Gregorian chant, Irish song and Japanese choral traditions. 

Marsh's Library, Dublin City

Those who want to see the Dublin that influenced Stoker’s sinister imaginings can follow the Dark Dublin, Dracula, Bram Stoker & Other Horrors tour. The guided tour visits grand Gothic buildings such as Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, and Marsh’s Library where Stoker studied maps of Transylvania and texts about Vlad Dracul. It also reveals the city’s troubled history and haunted hotspots, introducing brave visitors to Ireland’s evil spirits.  

Ghost hunters will also enjoy the Haunted Dublin Tour and the Dublin Ghost Bus Tour, both of which visit the sites of reported paranormal activity and of historical dark deeds, while skilled performers bring the horror stories to life with a touch of humour. 

Stoker and other Irish authors helped to shape the Gothic horror genre. Less well known is that before Dracula, there was Carmilla—a chilling tale of a female vampire, penned by Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu over two decades earlier. The blend of ancient Celtic folklore and tales of medieval goings-on such as body snatching and satanic rituals in Dublin created a rich vein of stories for these novelists to mine. 

As the birthplace of Halloween, with roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, Ireland is the perfect place to celebrate the season—and to explore the dark origins of one of its most enduring legends: Count Dracula!