BRACE YOURSELF on Friday for the strange mix of Schadenfreude, self- flagellation and bargain hunting that can mean only one thing . . . the Allsop Space property fire sale – sorry, auction – is back.

Those prone to lifestyle envy and/or delusions of grandeur will be positively salivating over the latest Allsop catalogue. A slice of “prime Georgian Dublin” will be going under the hammer in the form of 26 Merrion Square, a mid- terrace townhouse with a reserve not exceeding €1 million.

If that’s not grand enough, how about a 15th-century castle in Co Kildare, built by the viceroy of Ireland to protect a bridge over the river Barrow?

And, of course, no self- respecting property auction these days would be complete without the obligatory ghost estate, this time in Castlemaine, Co Kerry.

We can only hope that the crowds who pack into the Shelbourne Hotel at 11am on Friday will have familiarised themselves with the basics of bidding this time around.

At an Allsop auction this time last year, auctioneer Gary Murphy had to caution one potential buyer who had managed to start bidding against himself.

In his impatience, the individual had succeeded in raising his own bid of €260,000 by €10,000, but he didn’t take kindly to the auctioneer’s word of advice. “I want a bit of respect from you, Gary,” he said.