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Like Colleen, the girl at the hotel (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

irish

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'like colleen' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'girl at the hotel' is the wordplay.
'girl' becomes 'iris' (girl's name).
'at' says to put letters next to each other.
'the hotel' becomes 'h' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'iris'+'h'='IRISH'

'the' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for irish that I've seen before include "Joyce was" , "said to be lucky" , "Eg, native to Dublin" , "From Galway, say" , "Celtic language" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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