Roughly two miles from the city centre with boundaries stretching from Berkeley Road to the New Cabra Road, and Rathdown Road to the Grand Canal.

Neighbouring districts are Glasnevin, Drumcondra and Cabra.

Average house prices:

Two-beds in good condition on Connaught Parade around 450,000; Geraldine Street two-beds fetch around 750,000; Rathdown Road four-bed period redbricks around 1.25m; Charleville Road four-bed semi-detached red-bricks from 1.25 . . . 1.5m plus.

Type of houses:

Practically all period . . . late 19th to early 20th century, and of those, mostly threebed terraces. There are very few newbuilds in the area. Anything modern is generally apartments . . . Shandon Mills and St Peter's Square, or townhouses such as Grove Mews.

Rental market:

The area is very popular with tenants, being so close to the city centre. An average one-bed in the area makes around 900 a month, while a two-bed will earn 1,200. Three-bed houses can bring in up to 1,800 a month.

Best streets to live in:

"Rathdown Road and Charleville Road are the most popular because they are treelined avenues with large period houses and good-sized rear gardens, " says Martin Doyle of Douglas Newman Good.

"Shandon is also popular, although these are smaller houses than Rathdown, built around the l920s, and costing from 700,000 to 800,000." The early 20thcentury semi-ds on the New Cabra Road are also sought after, says Genevieve McGuirk of HOK Residential. "All of the streets are close to shops and facilities in Phibsborough village, and there are attractions within walking distance such as the National Botanic Gardens."

Sympathetically refurbished period redbricks are in high demand, and this is reflected in the rise in asking prices.

Fernmount, a fully restored detached house at the Phibsborough end of the New Cabra Road was on the market recently through Douglas Newman Good for 1.4m Transport:

Numerous bus routes . . . 4, 10, 10a, 19 and 19a . . . serve Phibsborough.

Amenities:

Phibsborough Shopping Centre, Dalymount FC, and a number of shops, cafes, bars and takeaways.

Schools:

St Peter's National School . . . established l890 . . . is currently undergoing renovation.

Closest schools are in Cabra, Drumcondra and Navan Road.

Future development plans:

Phibsborough Shopping Centre has full planning permission to be refurbished and extended. Dalymount Park football club has been sold for re-development, while Mountjoy prison is earmarked for relocation to north Co Dublin. A childrens' hospital is proposed for the Mater Hospital campus, while work is set to begin on the new DIT Grangegorman complex.

On the market No 2 Shandon Road, Phibsborough Price: 730,000 Bedrooms: Three Details: No 2 Shandon Road is a period redbrick in one of Phibsborough's mostestablished addresses. Accommodation comprises an entrance hall, two reception rooms, kitchen extension, shower room, three bedrooms (two are large doubles) and bathroom. Although the property requires modernisation, it does offer excellent potential.

Agent: Douglas Newman Good, 01-830 0989