Brian Cleary, a clinical pharmacist in Dublin, has made an extraordinary discovery at the National Library of Ireland: a previously unknown short story by Bram Stoker, the author of “Dracula.” The story, titled “Gibbet Hill,” was published in an obscure Irish newspaper in 1890 and has not been recognized in any bibliographies or by scholars until now.
Cleary, who is the chief pharmacist at the Rotunda maternity hospital, found the reference to “Gibbet Hill” in a promotional advertisement in the Dublin Daily Express on New Year’s Day, 1891. He subsequently located the story, which had been published two weeks earlier, on December 17, 1890. Audrey Whitty, director of the national library, noted that while unexpected finds occur in their archives—housing a collection of 12 million items—Cleary's discovery is particularly noteworthy for how it was made.
The story is set in Surrey, England, at a notorious location where three men were hanged for murdering a sailor in the 18th century. In the narrative, a young man encounters three strange children who perform a ritual involving music and a snake, leading to an unsettling experience for him.
Paul Murray, an expert on Stoker and author of a biography titled “From the Shadow of Dracula: A Life of Bram Stoker,” labeled “Gibbet Hill” as a “very significant” addition to Stoker’s body of work. This story will be unveiled at the upcoming Bram Stoker Festival in Dublin, scheduled for October 25-28.
Cleary expressed hope that the publication of this story will highlight the extensive range of Stoker's work, which includes more than a dozen novels and several short story collections. “Gibbet Hill” holds thematic relevance to “Dracula,” exploring the thin line between normalcy and horror, the connection between the living and the dead, and elements of Gothic terror.
Additionally, the story reflects colonial anxieties common in literature of the time, particularly the English fear of foreign threats to their way of life, according to Murray.
Cleary’s personal connection to the discovery is strengthened by his own experiences with hearing loss. After receiving a cochlear implant in 2021, he undertook auditory therapy, during which he explored Stoker’s work and developed a potential novel featuring the author. He noted a historical thread of deafness within the Stoker family, as Bram's mother was an early advocate for the deaf.
Proceeds from the book will benefit the newly established Charlotte Stoker Fund at the Rotunda Foundation, aimed at researching risk factors for acquired deafness in newborns. In the book's preface, Cleary reflects on how his hearing loss ultimately shaped his journey, making the discovery of “Gibbet Hill” all the more significant.