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"Hombre Lúpulo":1lmk2cnk wrote: Had a brief look through it and while we are included as part of the British Isles (grrr)[/quote:1lmk2cnk]

But we are, its geographical location

"Hombre Lúpulo":18gpyeva wrote: We ceased to be part of the British Isles with the signing of the Republic of Ireland Act.[/quote:18gpyeva]You want to give us a citation for that? "British Isles" has never been a political or legal term and is therefore unaffected by legislation.

"Hombre Lúpulo":18gpyeva wrote: Even its geographical use[/url:18gpyeva] is considered dated and not recommended.[/quote:18gpyeva]It's true that it's frowned upon in Irish government circles, and usage is discouraged, however there's no real alternative. Irish officialdom uses "these islands" instead, but that's no good if you don't happen to be standing on one at the time.

If you're writing a beer book in the US what term do you use to designate "these islands" (including the Isle of Man) which have a closely shared drinking culture?

"Hombre Lúpulo":4bmei7p5 wrote: A simple "Great Britain and Ireland" would suffice, I would have thought.[/quote:4bmei7p5]No Isle of Man, no Channel Islands, no Orkneys, no Inis Mór: geographically, it doesn't mean the same thing.

"Hombre Lúpulo":4bmei7p5 wrote: Given that we are not part of Britain, we're not part of the "British Isles" either. That was my rational in referring to the Republic of Ireland Act.[/quote:4bmei7p5]I think you're getting politics and geography mixed up. Ireland wasn't part of Britain before the 1949 Act either.