Once inside, "it was the place where time stood still", recalls Mort, the man who ran and managed the market for almost 20 years and whose family own the site. But despite its many charms, one of Dublin's oldest institutions couldn't work its magic on the Celtic Tiger.

Between the rise of the shopping centre, our love of credit cards and the restrictions on car parking, Blackberry Fair ceased to be viable. "Markets aren't places for credit cards and people don't buy large second-hand pieces of furniture now. So it just wasn't feasible anymore, " says Mort.

The place with the big sign saying, "Beanbag chairs: 50" has been replaced by a big sign announcing a sale by public auction. It has become a treasure trove for passers-by, who have been dipping in to the skip-loads of bric-a-brac, old TVs and stereos that tell the tale of a market no more.

The entire site, comprised of Blackberry Market as well as the three, four-storey-overbasement period houses at Nos 40, 42 and 44 Rathmines Road Lower and also the rear of No 38, which opens onto Fortescue Lane, represents a unique opportunity to purchase a valuable and historic parcel of land following the closure of the market in June 2005.

The properties came into the family by degrees. "Our father was involved in buying and selling property and he bought the first house back in 1944, " explains Mort. They were old hands as market traders, cutting their teeth in the business with the Dandelion Market in Dublin city centre. So when that closed down . . . "there was a huge gap in the market" . . . and their thoughts turned to the family site in Rathmines.

"The place had a magical feel to it and we had always thought it would make a great market place, " says Mort. "We had a saying, 'Blackberry Fair . . . where time stands still'."

Born by chance and named after the profusion of blackberries growing locally on Blackberry Lane, the market was opened by then lord mayor Bertie Ahern in 1988 and immediately took off.

Catering to professional traders as well as passers-by and anyone looking to fit out a flat, they sold everything from antiques to collectibles. "Many people used to come here to get togged out for a Debs or the Trinity Ball, we sold everything except toilet paper!"

One of the most popular stalls was the fortune teller, "although she was never able to predict whether we'd be busy or not", recalls Mort. He needn't have worried, business was always good. The market regularly attracted a steady stream of visitors . . . even the weather seemed bewitched by a bigger plan.

"Over all all those years I never missed a weekend except at Christmas. And I was always glued to the weather forecast, to see how it might affect business. But more often than not, the rain stayed away at the weekends. It must be the driest spot in Dublin!"

Whilst in need of complete refurbishment, the three original houses are all substantial and benefit from fine period features, such as highceilinged, wonderfully porportioned rooms, fireplaces and ornate plasterwork.

Over the years the site has had mixed useage with some commercial uses on the ground floor and up to 60 residential units on the remaining floors. The entire site stands on approx 0.18hectare/0.45 of an acre and can be accessed via an archway from Rathmines Road Lower as well as from the rear at Fortescue Lane.

The site offers enormous potential and is sold subject to planning permission. Located close to the canal end of Rathmines, it is one of the city's best letting locations, with exceptionally strong demand from professional tenants, according to selling agent Jane Clarke, Lowe & Associates.

For the future, Mort and the family plan to start again at a new location. However, they would like to see the magic continue at Blackberry Fair and they hope that however the new owners redevelop the site, that there will be a new market there to cater for the Celtic Tiger generation.

Price: AMV 7m; public auction 26 October Agents: Lowe & Associates 01-496 0844 and Douglas Newman Good 01-491 2600