A long-lost short story by Bram Stoker, the celebrated Irish author of Dracula, has recently resurfaced in Dublin after remaining undiscovered for around 130 years. Next week, the Dublin City Council Bram Stoker Festival will unveil this ghostly narrative, “Gibbet Hill,” to the public, adding a captivating chapter to Stoker’s already illustrious legacy.
In October 2023, Brian Cleary, a lifelong Stoker enthusiast, discovered the tale while exploring the archives at the National Library of Ireland. Cleary, who works at the Rotunda Hospital, had taken leave following cochlear implant surgery, prompting him to delve into historical literature and Stoker’s works, an exploratory phase during which he stumbled upon “Gibbet Hill,” a story published in a Christmas supplement of the Dublin Daily Express in 1890. Remarkably, this tale has remained undocumented in all existing bibliographies or biographies about Stoker.
Three criminals murder a sailor in “Gibbet Hill,” displaying their bodies on gallows as a warning to passing travelers. Set against the eerie backdrop of Gibbet Hill in Surrey—also referenced in Charles Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby—the story embodies Stoker’s characteristic exploration of virtue versus evil. Paul Murray, Stoker’s biographer, describes it as “a classic Stoker story,” emphasizing its thematic resonance with the author’s later works, including Dracula.
The narrative’s exploration of the supernatural and the human condition aligns closely with Stoker’s broader literary themes, reflecting his fascination with the uncanny and moral complexities of his characters, the distinct gothic motifs that Stoker would later refine in his more famous works, recognizably echoed in the newly discovered text.
“Gibbet Hill” will be premiered on Saturday, October 26, at 1 PM in the Pillar Room at the Rotunda Hospital, as part of the Dublin City Council Bram Stoker Festival 2024, offering an appropriate platform for the unveiling of this literary treasure, celebrating Stoker’s enduring impact on the genre of gothic literature. Cleary expressed immense gratitude for the support he received in bringing “Gibbet Hill” back into the light after more than a century of obscurity. He highlighted the collaborative effort involved in making this discovery accessible to the public.
The Rotunda Foundation is publishing a special book featuring “Gibbet Hill” to mark this momentous occasion, which includes a biographical sketch of Stoker and original artwork by Paul McKinley.
Cleary aims for this publication to celebrate Stoker’s literary contributions while simultaneously raising funds for the newly established Charlotte Stoker Fund, the proceeds of which will support research on preventable hearing loss in vulnerable infants, thereby linking the literary discovery to a meaningful cause that resonates with Cleary’s own experiences with hearing loss.
The significance of this rediscovered story extends beyond its narrative content. It offers an opportunity for literary scholars and enthusiasts to revisit Stoker’s early work and better understand his evolution as a writer. The year 1890 marked a transformative period for Stoker, as he began to formulate ideas that would ultimately lead to the creation of Dracula in 1897. Analyzing “Gibbet Hill” in this context provides insight into the thematic concerns and narrative techniques that would later define his masterpiece.
Moreover, this discovery emphasizes the crucial role of archival research in uncovering hidden literary treasures and underscores the potential for significant discoveries within library archives. The revival of interest in Stoker’s work also aligns with a broader cultural fascination with gothic literature, inviting new generations of readers to explore the genre’s rich history.
