They keep records as dirt is dished out (8)

I believe the answer is:

diarists

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'they keep records' is the definition.
The definition suggests an adverb but the answer is not.

'as dirt is dished out' is the wordplay.
'dished out' indicates anagramming the letters.
'as'+'dirt'+'is'='asdirtis'
'asdirtis' is an anagram of 'DIARISTS'.

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(Other definitions for diarists that I've seen before include "People who keep a daily record of their lives" , "Sit raids out with daily record keepers" , "They maintain daily records like Pepys" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.

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