Orla Kirwan has been in Carrigstown for over ten years and has been through all sorts. Originally a PR girl who had a taste for the finer things, Orla has suffered recently as the Celtic Tiger has bitten back.

The PR work has dried up and Orla even turned to theft to get the things she wanted. Orla was eventually forced to swallow her pride and work for Yvonne in Vinos, but Orla still dreams of greater things.

Poor Orla hasn't been too lucky in love either. Her relationship with her ex, Keith, is long gone and after a brief fling with new boy in town Eddie, she has been left without anyone to challenge her razor wit and lofty ambitions.

Sorcha Furlong has become a favourite in Carrigstown and all the while has maintained a career in the theatre, appearing in numerous plays and touring the country. She's a busy lady!

So what next for Orla: Romance? Career success? A further slide down the slippery slope? And what next for Sorcha Furlong?

We put some of your questions to Sorcha:

Do you come from a theatrical family and were your parents happy about you becoming an actor?
My Mam's godfather was the late Joe Lynch (Dinny from Glenroe)and my Dad's family are involved one way or another in traditional Irish music, from my uncle being in the orginal Chieftains, another uncle gigging with everyone from Pete St. John, The Corrs and one of my favourite bands The Eurythmics!!

Music more so than acting was a huge part of my childhood, but when I announced that I was going to go to drama school instead of DCU to study Business and French, there where a few conversations had about my choice!! But I always knew that this was what I wanted with my life and thankfully all my hard work paid off!

How did you first get into acting?
When I was 9 I started dancing in Diggs Lane, so did my sister who was 6, so you can imagine the embarrassment when 3 years later I was still in beginners and my little sister was in advanced - two left feet wouldn't be in it! So I then took up drama in Diggs Lane instead of the dancing (safer choice), and from there I did the Gaiety School in the evening after school, then to drama college, and from there a lot of auditions, a lot of near misses with roles, and a lot of tears and a lot of successes.

Is it difficult to remember all those lines every week and do you have any tips for young actors out there?
We shoot four episodes a week but we don't shoot in sequence. We actually film per set, so all the McCoys scenes in all four scripts are done in the same day, and the same for Vino's, Phelans etc. So depending on your work load that week you could have twelve scenes a day or six. I just sit down and read each scene over and over again till it goes in. I also run lines in my dressing rooms with the other actors involved in the scene, before we go onto the floor to shoot it.

I guess my advice to young actors is to know your stuff!!! And that nothing comes easy, you have to work hard, turn up on time, and enjoy it!

Having professional wardrobe and make-up every day sounds great but do you ever get tired of it?
Short answer No, love it.

What has been your favourite storyline in Fair City - for Orla and in general?
I have been very fortunate to have loved all my storylines, from dealing cocaine to Yvonne, having the affair on McAleer, becoming homeless to shoplifting! And not forgetting my very first storyline in the show which was dating Paul, which then made Niamh realise she fancied him, and then she ditched Barry! So technically Paul has slept with Rachel's two aunties, not a conversation to be had over dinner in the Brennan household!

What would like to happen to Orla next?
I don't know, good question! As I said I have loved all my storylines, so I'm happy to leave my fate to the story team in Fair City, but if they threw a hot man my way, I wouldn't say no!

Will Orla ever find her man and is it weird to film romantic scenes?
That's the question and right now the answer is no, no man for me at the moment, but who knows! Romantic scenes are so far removed from "romantic", you have a whole crew watching you from make up people to wardope, cameramen, sound, lighting, it's just like shooting any other scene, except your kissing the face off someone!

I imagine Fair City takes up a lot of your time but what do you like to do in your spare time?
At the moment I'm doing a play in my spare time called Wag, so I'm touring with that when I can. I spend time with my family, and my daughter and my friends. There's nothing like a meal with family and friends and a lot of red wine!

What do you like to watch on television?
I love detective programmes like prime Suspect. I also really loved Accused with Sean Bean that was on lately, he was amazing. I'm really loving the Newsroom with Jeff Daniels, and for a bit of light relief the Kardashians!

Do you prefer working in theatre or television?
I love working in both, I couldn't choose.

Acting in Fair City seems like an amazing job, are there any downsides to it?
No absolutely not. I am so lucky to be working in the career that I have always dreamt of and wanted and not a day goes by that I don't appreciate how blessed I am to be doing it.

What cast member do you get on best with behind the camera?
We are all like one big family, but I have to mention Clelia (Niamh) because she is sitting beside me and I am typing this on her computer!

Are there any pranksters on set and do have any behind the scenes stories for us?
That award goes to the props lads , they know who they are!

Who's your favourite character in Fair City at the moment?
ME!!!

Please tell us what's going on with Lucy!
My lips are sealed! xxx