Three in the heart of Desirable Six (House 2 - Sleepy Hollow, Temple Villas)

Sleepy Hollow, Temple Villas - Guide price: £550,000-plusTemple Villas, at Palmerston Road, Rathmines, is one of the most sought after addresses in Dublin 6 for its fine Victorian semidetached houses.

However, not all its houses are grand family homes valued above £1 million.

Tucked away at the end nearest Palmerston Park is an unusual property - a detached converted coach-house partially hidden behind a high granite wall facing the road.

Called Sleepy Hollow, this four-bedroom house with its surrounding courtyard garden will be auctioned by Lisney on May 24th. The guide price is £550,000-plus.

An original coach-house, it was converted to a home in the 1940s and fully refurbished by the current owners in the late 1980s.

With 2,000 sq. ft of living space, it would ideally suit a couple who want to trade down from a larger home in the area, or a younger buyer who wants a home in walk-in condition in this popular location.

Sheltered by mature trees in the neighbouring gardens, Sleepy Hollow has an attractive courtyard garden with its original stone well, which has been turned into a fishpond.

The conversion of the interior has been sensitively achieved, retaining much of the character of the old building, such as the steep hayloft roof in the roomy hall and dining-room.

Seasoned timber ceilings here and in the drawing-room and kitchen/family-room are echoed by hardwood frames on the double-glazed windows, and by a discreetly ornate wooden fire surround in the drawing-room.

At 19 ft by almost 17 ft, the kitchen/family-room is slightly larger than the other reception rooms but opens through connecting doors to the dining-room. Facing these doors, French windows give on to an east-facing patio, augmenting the dimensions of the room. This patio has pedestrian access to a lane. There is also a study and a lavatory downstairs.

Steep, narrow stairs lead to the bedrooms. Lofty as a nest, enclosed by treetops, the small first bedroom has a sizeable en suite bathroom, with corner bath.

The three remaining bedrooms - two doubles and one single - share a bathroom cheerfully decorated in a fishy theme.

Rear pedestrian access is provided to Palmerston Gardens, where there is ample car parking space.