The Legend of Ourtuck the Vampire King

Dracula's author was himself an Irishman as pointed out by Celtic historian Bob Curran. Stoker never visited Eastern Europe but he certainly would have been exposed to various Irish legends of evil blood-drinking kings and cheaptons including tales of Irish vampire king Ourtuck. It may be more accurate to think of him as a tribal chiefton rather than a king. He would have reigned in the fifth or sixth century CE in the district of Blinulan in Northern Ireland. Some accounts say that Ourtuck fell to his death while jealously creeping about the ledges of his casters towers trying to spy on his own wife. In other accounts his