Dracula's "blood and guts" lie in Ireland, not Transylvania. So says Dr Marie Mulvey-Roberts, a speaker at the ninth annual Bram Stoker Summer School in Dublin.
Contrary to popular perception the Clontarf-born author of Dracula, Bram Stoker, never travelled to Transylvania. He probably took his inspiration from his exposure to Catholicism and the aftermath of the Great Famine.
And the name of the world's most famous vampire may have come from the Irish words "droch fhola", meaning bad blood, according to Dr Mulvey-Roberts, senior lecturer at the University of the West of England, Bristol.
Despite his Dublin roots, Stoker remains largely unknown to the Irish public. Yet this could change if Dennis McIntyre has his way. The teacher turned local historian is bringing Stoker's Irish roots centre-stage this week in a series of events to promote Bram Stoker in Ireland.
"We're way behind the USA, Canada and Britain in appreciating Stoker but I have a dream that a Stoker heritage centre will be set up in Dublin. It would have huge tourist potential," said Mr McIntyre.
English tourists Nick and Pippa Byrne-Chinn are attending the first few days of the summer school. "I like horror films and books and thought this would be interesting," said Nick.
Their friend, Ms Alison Byrne, came because she's "fascinated by the dark side of life, legends, mythology and witchcraft".
Today's events start with a guided bus tour of Dracula's Dublin, departing the Old Clontarf cemetery at 11.30 a.m. Tonight at Clontarf GAA clubhouse the Dublin artist Jonathan Barry will give the first public showing of the documentary In Search of Dracula, which he filmed on a visit to Transylvania in 1991.
To round off the night, the French Dracula enthusiast, Dr Jean-Claude Petit, will deliver a paper on Marxism and Dracula.
The Bram Stoker Summer School runs until Sunday, August 8th. Contact Dennis McIntyre at tel: 087-236 4829 for details.