We define a set of ‘cell modules’ for the extended affine Hecke algebra of type A which are parametrised by $SL_n({\open C})$-conjugacy classes of pairs (s, N), where $s\in SL_n({\open C})$ is semisimple and N is a nilpotent element of the Lie algebra which has at most two Jordan blocks and satisfies Ad(s)·N=q2N. When q2≠−1, each of these has irreducible head, and the irreducible representations of the affine Hecke algebra so obtained are precisely those which factor through its Temperley–Lieb quotient. When q2=−1, the above remarks apply to a subset of the cell modules. Using our work on the cellular nature of those quotients, we are able to obtain complete information on the decomposition of the cell modules in all cases, even when q is a root of unity. They turn out to be multiplicity free, and the composition factors may be precisely described in terms of a partial order on the pairs (s, N). These results give explicit formulae for the dimensions of the irreducibles. Assuming our modules are identified with the ‘standard modules’ earlier defined by Bernstein–Zelevinski, Kazhdan–Lusztig and others, our results may be interpreted as the determination of certain Kazhdan–Lusztig polynomials. [This has now been proved and will appear in a subsequent work of the authors.]