Damien was forced to grow up quickly after the murder of his mother by his father, becoming a surrogate father to his younger brother. Life has not turned out as Damien hoped. His marriage is a rocky tumultuous union, and he has recently strayed away with Neasa. Maclean Burke answers your questions, in the hope of delving deeper in to Damien Halpin's world.

What do you think drove Damien to cheat on Suzanne?
Who knows? I guess it's a number of things, being seduced by Neasa. That fact that Suzanne and Damo are at logger heads, and of course the grass is always greener factor.

Do you think Damien regrets sleeping with Neasa?
I think Damo is full of guilt. He is disgusted by his actions.

If Suzanne and Neasa were out of the picture, what other females in Carrigstown would catch Damien's eye?
Dolores? I'm not sure; there are lots of pretty females on set. He has always had a good relationship with Tracey and Sarah. However that would lead to problems due to their friendship with Suzanne.

Do you think Damien is fearful of Suzanne's temper?
Yes. I think it reminds him of darker days in his childhood. Fear is a powerful thing.

The cracks are starting to show in Damien and Suzanne's marriage; do you think they truly love each other? Is there a future for them?
I think they do, however pressure and circumstance are such that they just can't meet eye to eye. They have ultimately lost respect for each other. I would hope there is a future for them.

Do you think Damien will ever want to have children?
Right now Damo just wants a time out. Mark is going to college and he feels it's time for some self discovery. He has raised Mark and it's time for fun. But Suzanne does not see it that way.

One of the most enjoyable things about Fair City for me is the friendship between Wayne & Damien, what is it like to work with Victor Burke?
Victor Burke (Wayne) is one of the reasons I enjoy work so much. We're like two bold boys on set. We met before I was on Fair City, on the set of Saving Private Ryan, and have been pals since.

Wayne seems to be Damien's best friend in Carrigstown, but who's your best friend on set (the person you'd most likely go for a few pints with)?
To be fair, I work with a great bunch of people and I would enjoy a pint with any of them.

Who's the most fun person to film scenes with?
I guess Victor or Sarah (Suzanne). We have some great laughs and still get the job done.

If you had the opportunity, who would you like to have more screen time with?
Neasa! Ha, I guess more screen time with Victor or Sarah, but I also like to work with Tom (Charlie), Eamon (Cass), and Jim (Bela), because I find them very entertaining.

You have become one of my favourite characters, why do you think people can relate the most to Damien?
I think Damo is a bit of an 'everyman'. People can relate to him in some shape of form. Problems at home, unemployment, and the pressure of working somewhere he hates, etc. I think he is a sounding board for Ireland right now, reflecting a nation under stress.

What has been the most challenging storyline you've been involved in during your time on the show?
So far, the murder of his mother, Tess. It was my first major challenge and it got great ratings.

If you had the choice, what storyline would you give Damien?
I think Laura should come back with a baby, and Damo should be supportive. Or maybe a brother or sister from his dad's past. Failing all that, he should become a super hero fighting crime in Carrigstown.

What would you like to see happen with Damien's character in the next year or two?
I would like to see him de-stress; enjoy the moments a little more. He should have a child also, but I have a feeling things won't run so smoothly.

What has been your favourite Damien scene of-all time?
It's funny, I have had lots of great moments, but for me, it's one that no one noticed. It was when Ryan (the old Mark) and I were filming his last scene. I had only found out minutes before that it would be his last, and strangely the lines held a lot of weight. It was a moment only shared by Ryan and me.

If you could play any other character on the show, who would you play?
Deegan. I would grow seventies side burns and wear flairs, and have everyone call me the D-Man.

What acting experience did you have prior to Fair City? And, have you done any acting projects on the side, while playing Damien?
A few bits before Fair City, as I said I met Victor Burke on Saving Private Ryan. I also worked on In the Name of the Father and my last movie was the Front Line. I have been lucky to mix acting jobs because Fair City takes up so much time.

Rumours are flying about the place that Neasa is Judith's daughter, and if this turns out to be true, and with Judith moving in next door, do you think Damien will be able to keep his affair secret for long?
Ah...this is all news to me but it sounds like a lot of fun. In short, secrets never last long in Fair City.

What was your reaction, as an actor, when you found out Damien's father would murder his mother?
I felt it was going to be a great challenge for all involved. Of course I was sorry to see people I worked with for so long leave, but that's show business. I think we did it justice.

In recent weeks, we have seen certain characteristics of his father in Damien; is there a possibility he may turn out as violent and unpleasant as him?
Of course; I think he is at a cross roads in his life and he needs to be careful. However he is aware of this trait and I would hope he doesn't go down the same road as his father.

What made you want to become an actor?
The love of the game, freedom of expression, and it was great fun, still is.

What actors do you aspire to be like?
The ones that work all the time, those ones! I'm a big fan of Daniel Day Lewis and Brendan Gleeson.

Did you keep up the boxing?
Yes, but I had a pin put in my shoulder a couple of weeks ago, so I think early retirement is on the cards. Bike v Tree...I lost.

Is there any truth to the rumour that RTÉ want to do a comedy spin-off of Fair City, starring your character and featuring Wayne Molloy as Damien's trusted sidekick, called 'Damien Halpin: The Adventures of a Debt Collector'? If it isn't true, is it something you'd like to see happen eventually?
Yes, it's true, we start filming the end of August. We have a €27.50 budget, which we are going to spend on clipboards to make us debt collectorish! I would love to do some comedy.

Other soaps have recently and in the past celebrated reaching an anniversary by doing a live episode. With Fair City reaching 21 years of airing this September, would you like Fair City to do a live episode?
I would love to. I think we could do it great justice, and what a buzz it would be.