A forgotten short story by Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, has been discovered by a Stoker enthusiast in Dublin.
The story called “Gibbet Hill” was found by Brian Cleary in the archives of the National Library of Ireland. It was hidden in a Christmas supplement of the Dublin edition of the Daily Mail from 1890 and had been undocumented for over 130 years.
This newly uncovered tale is being displayed publicly in Dublin for the first time.While Stoker is best known for “Dracula”, his roots trace back to Dublin where he was born and raised.
Brian Cleary, a 44-year-old writer and amateur historian, has long admired Stoker’s works. “I read “Dracula” as a child, and it stuck with me,” Cleary said. He mentioned his deep interest in anything related to Stoker. Cleary, who lives in the same Dublin neighborhood where Stoker grew up, emphasised Stoker’s influence on popular culture.
Cleary’s discovery journey began in 2021 after he suffered sudden deafness and had to retrain his hearing following cochlear implant surgery. During his visits to the National Library of Ireland, he explored historical literature, especially Stoker’s works. In October 2023, he found “Gibbet Hill”, a story he had never heard of before.
“I was flabbergasted, sitting there in the library, thinking I might be looking at a lost ghost story by Stoker,” Cleary recounted. He then sought verification from Paul Murray, a Stoker expert and biographer, who confirmed that the story had been lost for more than a century. Murray explained that “Gibbet Hill” dates back to a period in Stoker’s early writing career.
Murray described the story as embodying the classic Stoker theme of the struggle between good and evil in mysterious ways. He mentioned “Gibbet Hill” as an essential step towards writing “Dracula”.
The story involves a chilling tale of a sailor murdered by three criminals, whose bodies are later hung on a gibbet as a warning. To celebrate the discovery, a new book featuring “Gibbet Hill” has been produced with cover art and illustrations by Irish artist Paul McKinley.
“When Brian sent me “Gibbet Hill”, there was so much to work with,” McKinley said. He highlighted the unsettling elements, such as a painting of worms inspired by a young character in the story. McKinley described the project as a fascinating challenge.
Cleary expressed his amazement at the journey, saying, “It’s surreal to be next to art inspired by characters from a story that had been hidden for so long.” The discovery enriches Bram Stoker’s literary legacy and offers enthusiasts a new glimpse into his early works.