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Christmas, for example, in Ireland, for instance (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

island

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'instance' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how they can define each other.

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for island that I've seen before include "Christmas or Easter, perhaps?" , "Piece of land smaller than a continent" , "Land mass not bordering another" , "Boffin, Baffin or Bali, say" , "Man, maybe" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.
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