Dracula" by Bram Stoker certain aspects of Stoker’s childhood in Ireland could have sparked the early seeds of his fascination with blood-sucking creatures. Bram, as a child, was plagued by a mysterious illness, the exact nature of which remains unclear. Strangely, his condition saw a sudden recovery when he turned seven. During the 1840s in Ireland, it was common practice to resort to bloodletting as a means to treat ailing patients. It is plausible that young Bram underwent such treatments, and it’s conceivable that these memories of being bled found their way into his imaginative narrative about vampires.

Besides, his mom played a huge part in forming his life as a youngster. Charlotte Blake (1818–1901), born in Sligo, was a prominent advocate for women’s rights. Having lived through the devastating Irish Famine, she recounted to young Bram the harrowing tales of its impact on humanity, with descriptions of emaciated people wandering the countryside—a portrayal akin to the living dead. Intriguingly, Stoker’s initial manuscript for the story was titled “The Undead.