‘Dracula’ in Halloween hunt for Transylvanian blood... to help others

DRACULA is looking for blood across Ireland — but it is all in a good cause.

The most famous vampire is on the hunt for Transylvanian emigrants to donate blood as part of a special Halloween-themed event this weekend.

Belfast author and former Belfast Telegraph Group reporter Sean Hillen is promoting the work of the Blood Transfusion Service by persuading people who have moved here to give blood.

Sean became a foreign correspondent in eastern Europe, including Romania, and is author of several books, one of which is titled Digging For Dracula.

“There are over 30,000 Romanians, many from Transylvania, living in Ireland now,” he said.

“It is highly commendable that many of these people who have made their new homes here have volunteered their blood to help the great work of the Blood Transfusion Service.”

Sean will be a speaker at a special event at the Amharclann Theatre in Bunbeg in the Donegal Gaeltacht tomorrow evening.

‘Dracula agus a chairde’ (Dracula and Friends) will be “cabaret in style with various blood-curdling on and off-stage entertainment”. Sean will speak on ‘Dracula: Truth Versus Legend’, on links between Vlad The Impaler and the long-toothed count.

One Transylvanian blood donor, Columbia Vaileanu, a web designer and digital marketer, is from a rural area of Transylvania and became an Irish citizen in recent years. She has lived in the Gaeltacht village of Bun na Leaca for the last 10 years.

“This is one simple way I can contribute to Ireland, a country that has granted me citizenship and a new opportunity to succeed in life,” Columbia said.

“The Blood Transfusion Service has helped save the lives of thousands of people, Irish and other nationalities, both locally and nationally. It deserves as much support as we can give it.”

Fellow Transylvanian Lucian Podariu, who operates a veterinary practice in nearby Bunbeg, also felt it was the least he could do to help.

“As a person working in the medical field, albeit it for animals, I know very well the importance of having a strong healthy blood supply available, especially for emergencies.

“The Irish Blood Transfusion Service does a wonderful job and we should all do our best to support it.”

Sean Hillen is promoting the work of the Blood Transfusion Service