In the Philippines they bury an ancient prayer under the foundations of their houses to ward off evil spirits. Architects in Singapore and Shanghai call in a feng shui expert at the design stage of any building as a matter of routine. And many Irish people have their new house blessed, though they haven't seen the inside of a church for years.

Others, particularly those who live in nice period houses with lots of atmosphere, have no plans to banish their friendly house ghosts. This, however, can be a problem when the time comes to move house.

Theatrical costume designer Olive Burke is to leave one of the few remaining period homes in Raheny, Tonlegee House, at the end of the month, after selling it.

She was reluctant to trade down to a smaller place now her family has grown - because the ghost who has become almost a member of the family over the years, will be left behind.

The family discovered they had inherited a ghost shortly after they moved in 30 years ago, when Olive was expecting their second child. "I was looking out of the window when a tall young man wearing a dark cloak walked across the courtyard and looked straight at me. I remember thinking `Oh God, it's a ghost' and then he disappeared."

Over the years, this fellow has exhibited a strong sense of fun - an attribute not often associated with things that go bump in the night. He loves music too. When their son was given a drum kit for his birthday the ghost tried it out that night and they were kept awake until dawn with the racket. Sometimes he plays Chopin on their daughter's piano. The ghost is a sensitive young man and doesn't like to be teased, says Olive. "I had friends to dinner one night and when they started to slag him he put on a real performance. A tray with brandy glasses and a bottle of Courvoisier was lifted about four inches off the table until the glasses rattled.

"Then he put it down gently and lifted the dining table four inches off the rug. When he began blowing one of the guest's hair over his face the guests became frantic."

Tonlegee House was bought by the Burkes in 1968. It is an 18th century house tucked away behind high walls in the middle of a modern housing estate. Its country farmhouse house look contrasts with the neat lawns and mock Tudor windows of surrounding three-bed semis. Apart from a lean-to conservatory built on by the Burkes, the house has been left much as it was.

The ghost, nicknamed Harvey, is thought to be a young music student who hanged himself from the banisters because of exam pressure. The legacy of this tragedy hasn't seemed to affect subsequent owners, who have lived contentedly in the house over the years. Not even a shadow of a ghost is visible to casual visitors to the house, although it is easy to be convinced by the family's cheerful acceptance of Harvey's presence in their lives. Sitting beside the old black range in the kitchen, Olive Burke and her daughter Tara talk of the ghost making his presence felt by rattling crockery when the two are engrossed in conversation.

Also of the day when a neighbour looking after the children while Olive popped out for a few minutes was confronted at the foot of the stairs by the ghost who refused to let her near them. The kindly neighbour never set foot in the house again.

Another time when Olive Burke's mother came to stay and was having difficulty finding the light-switch in the dark, the ghost took her by the hand, led her to the bathroom and escorted her back to bed. He is, says Olive, a protective presence in the house - a kind of guardian angel whom she hopes will follow her when she goes.

Estate agents are understandably reluctant to take the notion of haunted houses too seriously - although according to the IAVI, auctioneers must tell potential purchasers if they feel a house is haunted., "It's a bit of a laugh really. If it's a friendly ghost and there's a good atmosphere in the house, people won't be put off," says Conor Gallagher of Douglas Newman Good, who nevertheless knows of a house in Blanchardstown which regularly comes back on the market because it is thought to be haunted by an unfriendly spirit.

Thankfully, such properties are few. "Most normal mortals will throw a good housewarming party and consume their spirits that way," says Marcus Magnier of Jackson Stops & McCabe.