Landowners like stealing Irish resources, ultimately (8)

I believe the answer is:

esquires

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'landowners' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?

'like stealing irish resources ultimately' is the wordplay.
'like' becomes 'esque' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'stealing' is an insertion indicator.
'irish' becomes 'IR' (abbreviation).
'ultimately' suggests the final letters.
The final letter of 'resources' is 's'.
'esque' placed around 'ir' is 'esquire'.
'esquire'+'s'='ESQUIRES'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for esquires that I've seen is " Forms of address".)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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