Although being Irish, I am currently residing in South Korea because of work (also I like Korea). Thinking that I'll be spending at least another year here, I thought I'd cancel my Irish credit card that is with Bank of Ireland.

I phoned Bank of Ireland up via Skype and found for the first time they were very polite and helpful. However, they informed me that I could not close my credit card account because there is now a government stamp duty of €30, which is about $36. My current balance can't cover the stamp duty so I can't close my credit card account yet.


Whoever the hell thought up putting a flat tax of €30 to CLOSE a credit card account should be shot! "Rip Off Ireland" is the understatement of the century!

After hearing that news, I popped to the bank here to be informed that it costs about €20 just to send money internationally to my credit card account. So the cost of closing a credit card from abroad has risen to €50. 


Feeling slightly defeated, I phoned my mum and asked her to pay the money for me, so that I could evade the international transfer fee. She then began to school me saying how I should keep the credit card because it's really difficult to get a credit card issued to you in Ireland now-a-days. Suddenly the pieces fit.


It's no secret that Ireland is financially f*cked. The banks f*cked us and the government helped the banks f*ck us. Now even in in Korea, the government is reaching half way across the world to still f*ck me. 

They say, you can either be milked by us monthly with credit card charges etc for a credit card you don't need. You shouldn't leave the milking parlor for fear of what's outside and also, you mightn't be let back in. If you're determined to leave, you can be sure you're gonna take a slab of that rump roast before you go.

Sure, that's Ireland for you.