Andrea Corr has the kind of dark-eyed, fresh-faced beauty and model-girl figure that turns heads wherever she goes. What's more, she's been hailed as Ireland's sexiest woman and as lead singer of pop band The Corrs, she's attracted a huge male fan following.

But the 24 year-old brunette has been single for the last two years and claims she can't remember the last time she was chatted up.

'People think we must be asked out all the time,' says Andrea, who fronts the family group with her equally stunning elder sisters Caroline and Sharon and older brother Jim. 'But I can't really remember the last time it happened to me.'

'I think it must be because we spend 90 per cent of our time in a protected environment and, without realising it, I must be sending out signals saying: "Do not approach."'

'But I don't feel a need to be in a relationship, I'm not that insecure. The reason I'm single is because I haven't met anyone that I've been drawn to in ages. It just doesn't happen very often and, if it's not 100 per cent right, I don't think it's worth it.'

'Ultimately, to me, sex is too sacred to be flippant about. It's probably an unfashionable view - not very Girl Power - but I think that, in their hearts, most women feel that way.'

Like his baby sister, Jim Corr, is also single and blames constant touring as the cause. The chart-topping group spend on average only one week at home in every seven and have grown accustomed to travelling. They've been to more than 30 different countries in the last two years following hits like Runaway and What Can I Do?

'I haven't got a girlfriend at the moment,' says Jim. 'I did meet someone and invited her over to Ireland, but I can't say I've got a steady girlfriend. It's very hard when you're on the road. But it's worth it. I've been in the business long enough to know this isn't going to last forever and I'm trying to enjoy it while I can. I'd hate to be a whining pop star.'

Meanwhile, Sharon and Caroline both live with their boyfriends, but admit their romances are mainly conducted over the telephone.

'I live in Belfast with my boyfriend, a barrister and Caroline lives in Dublin with her boyfriend,' says 28 year-old Sharon who plays violin. 'We've just had a holiday and I went to Italy inter-railing with my boyfriend, but it's amazing how little time we get to spend together.'

Caroline met her boyfriend in a Dublin bar last year. He works behind the scenes in the business and they moved in together within months of meeting.

'At least I got to know him a bit before we left the country again,' laughs Caroline, 26, who plays drums. 'I'm just fortunate to have met a man I really like and want to spend time with.'

The Corrs performed for the first time in 1990 at the auditions for the Alan Parker movie The Commitments. All four won part in the film, but only Andrea bagged a speaking role.

'I played a sarcastic sister, who swore and grumbled a lot,' says Andrea, who still lives with her parents in Dundalk.

But Alan Parker didn't forget Andrea and, when he was casting Evita, which starred Madonna as Eva Peron , he gave her the role of Juan Peron's mistress. 'I was yanked out of bed by Madonna,' laughs Andrea. 'I had a great time, but I've never wanted to be an actress. It's always been music.'

'Our parents had jobs, but they spent their weekends performing in pubs and clubs with their covers band, 'The Sound Affair', says Jim. 'I even played keyboards for them for a while. Abba was our speciality, but there was some Carpenters and Eagles too.'

'You know how, when you grow up, you think your household is like everyone else's? Well I grew up thinking that everyone sang and played instruments,' says Andrea. 'I don't want us to sound like this weird family who sang songs all the time, wore matching pullovers and kept pigs. We weren't. And for the record, none of us do Irish dancing, either.'