History of the British Isles coalition with the Northern Irish unionist party, the DUP in order to have a working majority in the House of Commons. History of the British Isles The British Isles have witnessed intermittent periods of competition and cooperation between the people that occupy the various parts of Great Britain, the Isle of Man, Ireland, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the smaller adjacent islands. Today, the British Isles contain two sovereign states: the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. There are also three Crown dependencies: Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man. The United Kingdom comprises England,
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