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Dracula, published in 1897, still endures as one of the best-known horror stories ever to be told. Bram Stoker’s character has horrified readers – and audiences – for over a century. Cathy Macdonald explores the Scottish connections to the writing of the novel. How did a vampire story by an Irish author, set in Transylvania and England, come to be written in Scotland and inspired by a Scot?

Stoker chose the small fishing village of Cruden Bay in the north east of Scotland to write much of the novel. Cathy explores why. She also finds out about Scot Emily Gerard, whose writings on Transylvanian superstitions were a huge influence for Stoker. Cathy also delves into some of the real history featured in the novel and visits the coastal town of Whitby, where Dracula first landed in Britain.

Nochd an leabhar Dracula aig Bram Stoker trì bliadhna ro dheireadh na naoitheamh linn deug – ach chun an là an diugh tha inbhe aige mar leabhar oillte cho ainmeil sa th’ann. Chuir Dracula uamhas air leughadairean fad còrr is ceud bliadhna. Tha Cathy Dhòmhnallach a’lorg na ceangail eadar Alba agus an leabhar. Ciamar a thachair e gun do sgrìobh Èireannach leabhar air iarrtaiche-fala, stèidhichte ann an Transylvania agus Sasainn, is e fhèin ann an Alba?

Roghnaich Stoker cuid dhen leabhar a’ sgrìobhadh ann am baile beag Bàgh Chrudain ann an ear-thuath na h-Alba. Cluinnidh Cathy carson, agus mun bhan-Albannach, Emily Gerard, is mun bhuaidh a bh’aig na sgrìobh ise mu bheul-aithris Transylvania air Stoker.
Nì Cathy rannsachadh mun eachdraidh fhìrinneach a chaidh a shnìomh dhan leabhar – agus tadhlaidh i air baile Whitby, far an do chuir Dracula an toiseach cas air talamh Bhreatainn.

In Gaelic with English subtitles