British Isles naming dispute often rejected in the Republic of Ireland, because some claim its use implies a primacy of British identity over all the islands outside the United Kingdom, including the Irish state, the Crown dependencies of the Isle of Man and Channel Islands that was historically dominating and is currently inaccurate, since Ireland is neither Britain nor British. Many political bodies, including the Irish government, avoid describing Ireland as being part of the British Isles; Éamon de Valera corrected John Gunther when the journalist used the term during a private meeting in the mid-1930s. However, the term "British Isles" has been used
Terminology of the British Isles Britain. The adjectival phrase "Great British" is very rarely used to refer to Great Britain, other than to contrive a pun on the word "great", as in "Great British Food". "Irish", refers to people or a characteristic "of Ireland". As such, its meaning is contextual on the meaning of "Ireland" being used: it can relate both to the Irish state, and to the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland, as a constituent part of the United Kingdom, can thus be both "British" or "Irish", reflected in the ability for residents of Northern Ireland to take either British or Irish citizenship. In