A few days ago, fans of vampire lore gathered in Dublin, Ireland, in order to celebrate the legacy of Dracula’s esteemed author, Bram Stoker.
Dublin’s Bram Stoker Festival was a rousing success, as it successfully evoked the novel’s spirit of dark, supernatural fantasy.
Since the festival ran so close to All Hallow’s Eve, we thought it might be fun to provide you with some information about what went on.
Perhaps, next October, you’ll want to attend! When you do, be sure to don a pair of fangs and a sweeping black cape.
Without these Dracula-inspired accessories, you might just stick out like a sore thumb. Now, let’s review some festival highlights…
Festival Highlights
This very special event ran from the 26th to the 28th of October, 2013, and it featured a wealth of dramatic and creative elements, including street theatre, spooky sounds, vampire “hunts”, outdoor film screenings and so much more.
Designed to reveal the world of Bram Stoker, who hailed from Dublin, this unique and innovative festival created an ambience that was truly second to none.
Dublin Castle took on a Gothic vibe as festival organizers and participants attended events near its hallowed halls.
In addition, beautiful St. Patrick’s Cathedral became the venue for candlelit readings and musical performances (such as choirs) which related to the vampire/Gothic genres.
A range of films, such as the camp classic, Hotel Transylvania and the darkly elegant, The Brides of Dracula, rounded out the festival, drawing crowds to Dublin’s moonlit streets.
Now that you know more about this impressive special event, let’s talk a little about Bram Stoker and his connection to Ireland…
Who Was Bram Stoker?
Bram Stoker wrote Dracula in 1897. Although the novel was set in Transylvania, literary experts have unearthed plenty of links between the story and Stoker’s native city, Dublin.
For example, Stoker’s childhood memories became facets of his character’s experiences. Fly collecting in Dublin became an interest of one of the novel’s characters, Renfield, who was Dracula’s henchman.
While Stoker wasn’t the inventor of vampires, the world that he created sparked the imagination of countless readers, and it became the gold standard by which all works in the vampire genre were (and are) judged.
Today, his seminal work is available in a host of languages, and it inspires films, play and other works of literary fiction.
Celebrate Ireland with Traditional Celtic Jewelry
According to vampire lore, crosses may be used in order to ward off evil. These timeless symbols of Christian faith are believed to render blood-suckers powerless.
If you want to wear a traditional cross design, you’ll love learning more about our Silver Diamond & Emerald Trinity Knot Cross Pendant.
This elegant piece features sterling silver, gold accents, shimmering diamonds and a central emerald.
Crafted with painstaking attention to detail, this superlative pendant features Trinity Knot detailing, which symbolizes Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
So affordable and totally authentic, our pendant retails for just $135.00, and it’s handmade, with love, right in the Emerald Isle.
So, why not order your own pendant today?