Dire ego failed NE resident (7)

I believe the answer is:

geordie

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'ne resident' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.

'dire ego failed' is the wordplay.
'failed' indicates anagramming the letters.
'dire'+'ego'='direego'
'direego' is an anagram of 'GEORDIE'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for geordie that I've seen before include "Inhabitant of Tyneside" , "Someone from Newcastle-upon-Tyne" , "Native of Newcastle" , "Newcastle dialect" , "Newcastle-born?" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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