Dublin 9 €500,000:Deirdre Purcell's city cottage has history and style, writes Rose Doyle

A one-time gravedigger's cottage by the entrance to a cemetery might not immediately spring to mind as an ideal pied-à-terre, or even a city pad. But at a time when writer Deirdre Purcell needed a base in the city she fell for the charms and obvious advantages of 72 Prospect Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, one of two such 18th century cottages by the rear entrance to Glasnevin Cemetery, just yards from the green splendour of Prospect Square and the well-known gravediggers' pub.

The last is a Dublin institution; the pub where the men who dug the graves used to refresh themselves and where the mourners at Paddy Dignam's funeral in Joyce's Ulysses retired for the same purpose.

The whole is an Architectural Conservation Area: once a townland called Prospect, the cemetery was originally Prospect Cemetery and Prospect Avenue was originally Cemetery Road. Times change and so do townlands; today's Prospect Avenue is a 15-minute walk from the city centre.

Built as a four-room, single-story home, number 72 has been completely remodelled and opened up, given new windows and a great deal of light. With a floor area of some 54.6sq m (587sq ft), the original four rooms have become an L-shaped, open-plan living/diningroom/kitchen with, to the rear, a double bedroom.

A spiral staircase leads to a sleeping loft where, in an additional 27.6sq m (297sq ft) of space, there is a bathroom and pitched-roof sleeping area.

There's an immediate sense of space and light in the living/dining room, where the colours are in neutral shades from a polished timber floor, off-white walls and kitchen in shades of grey. A period-style cast-iron fireplace is gas-fired and has recessed shelving on either side. The coolly contemporary galley kitchen faces the front.

The bedroom, which has a bank of fitted wardrobes and windows overlooking the triangular patio, is large enough to allow for the addition of an en suite.

A landing at the top of the staircase has a Velux and storage space. There's another Velux in the sleeping area. The roof could be raised here, and the room extended. The bathroom is also on this level.

The patio, which has decking, a gravelled area and bedding, has a discreet spot for storing bins.

The private treaty sale is being handled by Douglas Newman Good and the asking price is €500,000.