In the fourth year of its Dublin: One City, One Book initiative, Dublin City Public Libraries has announced Dracula by Bram Stoker as its latest selection. The novel, an inspiration for countless film adaptations and one numerically-obsessed Sesame Street character, was written in the 19th Century by Bram Stoker, a Dublin native and Trinity College graduate.

In homage to the original Godfather of Gore, the city is encouraging all of its inhabitants to pick up a copy of the eerie classic and finish it by the end of April. During that time, the lucky denizens of Dublin can avail of free trips on the Ghost Bus tour, gothic film festivals aplenty and dramatic readings of Dracula by the famous vampire himself!
But that’s just the start of the fun. On April 16, the Rathgar Dramatists will perform Strange Truth at Central Library in the Ilac Centre, a story of a policeman investigating a mysterious death in Tipperary. Across town in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Bill Golding, Lawrence Foster and Crux Ensemble will lead gothic readings and music by candlelight.
We’re also getting our fangs in a twist over the prospect of attending Dynamite Entertainment’s retelling of the novel as comic book; esteemed contributors from the world of graphic novels will be on-hand to explain their adaptation process in a lively, step-by-step demonstration at the Gallery of Writers in Parnell Square on April 18.
Bloody-thirsty gaelgeoirs, meanwhile, can sink their teeth into Dracula as Gaeilge at the Ilac Centre or take a guided, Dublin-wide tour of the city’s gothic architecture, most of it dating from Georgian times. If the dates don’t suit, fear not, for Dublin City Library & Archive will host an exhibition of Dracula paintings by Jonathan Berry for the entire month.
And should you still find yourself thirsty for gothic fiction when May swings around, Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane will see Sinead McGeeney giving kids classes on how to create a “bat cave” on the 9th.
Go on. You know you want to.