ACTOR THOMAS ‘TOM’ Hopkins, who played Fair City’s Christy Phelan, has died.

The Dubliner played the role of the Carrigstown corner shop’s owner in 74 episodes of the show from 1998 to 2014, when his character departed after a heart attack.

Hopkins passed away on Monday surrounded by his family and in the care of staff at Carechoice Step Down Facility and St James’s Hospital, his funeral notice said.

It is asked that any donations be made to Alzheimer Society of Ireland in his memory.

Carol and Christy pictured in Fair City.

In his 16 years on the show, notable storylines involving Phelan included his trysts with local publican Carol Foley, his separation from his wife Renee and his health struggles.

Hopkins landed on the long-running soap opera after leaving a role in the civil service to return to college as a mature student and study drama at Trinity College Dublin.

Before that, in the 1970s, he was in a band labelled The Utopians.

In a previous interview, he said: “It was before my graduation. Some professional actors told me of an open audition for a supermarket ad and I went along and got the part.

“It went on screen in May and two weeks after that the producer of Fair City at the time called me up and asked me to audition.”

Hopkins is survived by his wife Tina and his four sons Anthony, John, Wayne and Lee, as well as his grandchildren and extended family.