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Money Diaries A 25-year-old trainee accountant on €30K living in Dublin

This week, our reader balances a busy work week with socialising with friends and planning a trip away.

WELCOME TO HOW I Spend My Money, a series on The Journal that looks at how people in Ireland really handle their finances.

We’re asking readers to keep a record of how much they earn, what they save if anything, and what they’re spending their money on over the course of one week.

Are you a spender, a saver or a splurger? We’re looking for readers who will keep a money diary for a week. If you’re interested send a mail to money@thejournal.ie. We would love to hear from you.

Each money diary is submitted by readers just like you. When reading and commenting, bear in mind that their situation will not be relatable for everyone, it is simply an account of a week in their shoes, so let’s be kind.

Last time around, we heard from a sales manager on €240K living in Dublin with her partner and their three dogs. This week, a 25-year-old trainee accountant on €30K living in Dublin.

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I am a 25-year-old trainee accountant and I have been living in Dublin for the last seven years. I currently live with my partner and one of my friends from my hometown. I am studying for my Final Admittance Exams, and I will be a qualified accountant by this time next year. In true accountant fashion, I have a (very) detailed excel budget workbook where I have all of my expenses, income, debt, and savings split out for each month since February 2021. I have been following these stories for a while on Money Diaries and I thought that I would share a week in my life.

Since the pandemic, I have found that I am more willing to spend money on experiences rather than save for a new phone, and going to a restaurant or coffee shop rather than staying at home. I enjoy sea swimming and I love that it has become more popular since the series of unfortunate lockdowns. I cycle primarily to get from A to B or to do my weekly shop – the new lanes in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown have been such a blessing! I enjoy urban planning and I have been designing my own ideal city for the last few years one bit at a time – I will probably never finish it as I do not have the free time that I did when I was a teenager. I made a New Years’ resolution to not take any flights where reasonably possible so I am planning a mini interrailing trip across Western Europe in April (it will be my first time abroad since 2018).

On an average month, I put away about €200 – €300 in savings. I have two credit cards (one is a student one with a small limit of €750 and the other is for emergencies, or once-off spending and the limit is €2,500) and I usually knock about €300 – €400 off a month. My smaller credit card is used for monthly bills and subscriptions. I have allocated monthly general spending money via my excel budget workbook and I also allocate money for my weekly grocery shopping too.

Occupation: Trainee accountant
Age: 25
Location: Dublin
Salary: €30,000
Monthly pay (net): €2,070

Monthly expenses

Transport: €20 on trips to visit my mam, and about €15 on general trips as I primarily cycle
Rent: €700 (my share)
Household bills: €90 (ESB, gas, and WiFi)
Phone bill: €30
Health insurance: €0
Pension: €62.50 paid by me per month, €275 paid by employer per month
Groceries: €200
Subscriptions: €5 – IrishCycle.com, €7 – MS Office, €2 – Google One, €13 – Netflix (split with partner), €17.99 – Spotify (split in family plan so works out €3 per month),
Flexible payment plans: €65.17 for my laptop (until next June) and €72.74 for my treadmill (the payments don’t start until next month)

***

Monday

7.45 am: I wake up and start work for the day. I usually start at 9 am but we are in the midst of overtime season, so I have to work earlier and later than usual.

10.30 am: I order breakfast from a nearby café because it’s Monday and I’m surviving on four hours of sleep so why not treat myself? (€9.50) I eat this during work so that I can take a longer lunch to go for a walk.

1.00 pm: I walk to the shop and grab milk and a box of smokes (€15.70). I know it’s a bad habit, but it is what it is for now.

2.00 pm: Back to work – some minor tasks, emails to action and calls to take for the rest of the afternoon.

5.00 pm: Small break for a cup of tea before heading back to work – doesn’t look like I will be done before 8 pm tonight. My partner has suggested getting a takeaway but there’s a potato gratin with bacon in the fridge that expires tomorrow so it might be best to save the takeaway money for another night.

10.00 pm: Just finished work for the day. Surprisingly not too tired thanks to a strong coffee I made at 7 pm. It’s time for a bit of TV and drawing – this helps me to unwind so that I am not spending too much time on screens.

11.30 pm: TV is off and time to get ready for bed.

Today’s total: €25.20

Tuesday

8.50 am: Later start to the day today – I make a cup of tea and start work.

12.00 pm: I have a meeting during lunch so I make a quick cup-of-soup to stop my stomach from growling at me.

2.00 pm: I shower and then take a quick walk to one of the local coffee shops and grab an oat milk latte (€3.70) and treat myself to a large cookie (€2.80). I call my mam to see how she is and then video call my brother on the walk back.

2.30 pm: Back to work for the afternoon – the walk has really lifted my spirits (or perhaps the cookie did, it’s hard to tell).

5.00 pm: Another meeting – will not be done early this evening either.

7.00 pm: Partner has just got back from work and I have finished work too – he is on overtime as well today so we’re picking today as Takeaway Day. I paid for the takeaway last week so he has kindly offered to pay for this one (I cannot remember if I did pay for last week’s takeaway or not but it’s a free takeaway, so I won’t question it).

9.00 pm: We are watching Netflix and switching back-and-forth with NowTV to find out what to watch. We settle on Snowpiercer and then South Park.

12.00 am: I may as well have insomnia because I am always exhausted but then I cannot sleep when it comes to bedtime – either way, it is time to force myself to go to bed.

Today’s total: €6.50

Wednesday

8.30 am: I am in an unusually happy mood this morning before I realise that it’s payday! I have been paid about €400 more than I usually take in (above) so I put €250 into savings and pay €600 off the credit cards.

11.00 am: As I stated in my bio, I am booking a mini interrailing trip to visit my friends in France this April. My New Year’s resolution was to cut back on air travel so I’m boating and training it to the South of France. The ticket for all trains is €235 which I pay immediately.

1.00 pm: I walk to the shop to get a few essentials and a box of smokes – I have not finished my other box but it’s nice to be prepared for tomorrow (€17.40). I plan on eating lunch at home but I misread the expiry date on the turkey burger, so I head to the nearest coffee shop to get a sandwich and coffee. They weren’t doing sandwiches today so I get a coffee (€3.50) and said I would get a sandwich in the shop I was heading to anyways. The queue is big for the deli, so in frustration, I order a Mad Egg (€15) on Deliveroo.

2.00 pm: Back to work for the afternoon; overtime is coming to an end today! Just tying up loose ends now.

6.00 pm: I finish up work for the day and turn my attention to my budget – I have to enter in my current expenses so that they can pull into an analysis sheet for me to “learn from” for future months. I also need to label some items as ‘Processed’ so that the balances on my credit card update and then I tie these back to my actual bank balance. This is my life now… and I love it.

8.00 pm: I start boiling some beef for a stew that I am cooking for tomorrow. After having a large lunch, I don’t particularly feel like a big dinner. So, my partner makes himself something small and I just make a toasted sandwich.

9.00 pm: Doing some laundry and cleaning the kitchen – the wall is a bit murky, so I take out the paint our neighbours have loaned to us (all of our walls are the same shade of cream, it’s so handy) and begin patching over some noticeable areas.

11.00 pm: I go to lie down in bed but, surprise, I can’t sleep and I eventually drift off somewhere close to 1 am.

Today’s total: €270.90

Thursday

8.50 am: I wake up and start work. My good mood is cut abruptly short when I receive the electric bill for our apartment – €694! Turns out we were undercharged for a year and a half. Luckily we can spread the payments over the year and incur no cost today.

11.30 am: I am still working away but the busy period has all but ended. I send across my portion of the rent (€700) to my partner as it comes from his account. I have put the beef stew on again after leaving it overnight and let it simmer away.

1.00 pm: On my lunch, I decide to order the shopping. Usually, I do the shopping on my bike but one of my baskets broke and I do not drive so it suits us to get it delivered. My share comes to €44.50 which is not bad considering we have all of our meals sorted until next Thursday. I also finish preparing the beef stew and eat that for my lunch.

2.00 pm: Back to work – it does not look to be too busy so I might get off at 5 pm or 6 pm.

5.00 pm: Woohoo – first normal finish in three weeks! I cannot remember what I used to do in the evenings so I just do some of the Nerdle and Wordle puzzles from the archive website.

7.00 pm: One of my friends from college calls over for a cup of tea and a catch up. We were going to go to the local coffee shop but it’s miserable outside, so we stay in mine.

8.30 pm: Exhaustion has gotten the better of me, so I go for a tiny nap (about 45 minutes). I will soon learn that it was a massive mistake.

11.00 pm: Head back to bed but cannot go back to sleep – I start to plan my trip abroad in my head until I drift off two hours later.

Today’s total: €744.50

Friday

8.50 am: I start my day and work is lovely and quiet today. It feels like the peace that comes after you finish your last exam.

10.30 am: My mam comes up to see me. My mam offered to clean our apartment for us once every two weeks to help me and my partner out when we were working a lot and we pay her €45 for the day (€15 is my share).

12.00 pm: I bring my mam over to one of the coffee shops nearby and we get a coffee each and a large treat (€12). We go for a short walk and catch up with one another.

1.00 pm: Mam starts to clean and I return to work. It is very quiet so I start tidying up the files on my laptop (I regret saving everything down on my desktop screen over the last two months).

3.00 pm: After a team call, I put a steak on the grill and cut it up to make a steak and rocket panini with pepper sauce for myself and mam.

5.00 pm: Finished with work, I sit down with my mam and we watch TV and chat about the dogs and my brother.

7.00 pm: Mam and I eat scones and drink tea (reading that back it sounds a lot posher than it looked) and we get the Dart to town so she can get her Bus Éireann bus home. I top up my Leap card by €5 to get me back home as I already had some money on it (the 90-minute fare has made everything so much easier).

8.00 pm: I grab an oat milk latte (€3.40) and make my way to the bus home.

10.30 pm: There is no nonsense tonight – I fall immediately into a deep sleep.

Today’s total: €35.40

Saturday

10.00 am: Early start to the day as my friends and I are heading to a swimming spot outside of Dalkey. The weather made it too treacherous to go swimming, so my friend takes some photos for his company (he makes sustainable, natural deodorant named after the Vico baths so it’s a perfect time to take pictures!).

11.00 am: We pop into our favourite nearby restaurant and get some brunch (€15.60) and I pop into a shop to grab some smokes (€14).

1.00 pm: I get home but I accidentally climb back into bed and fall asleep – for five and a half hours.

7.00 pm: After a quick shower, my partner and I have dinner that he made the night previous and watch movies together.

11.00 pm: The exhaustion of the past few weeks must have built up as I am ready for sleep again!

Today’s total: €29.60

Sunday

11.00 am: I have never felt more rested in my entire life. I put the TV in the kitchen on to hear about current events whilst I prepare my breakfast (I try to limit the amount of news I consume to just the morning time, it’s overwhelming to be constantly switched on all of the time).

1.30 pm: Partner and I head out to Dundrum to go for a little shop. I pick up a small number of clothes (€90) that I like and I get some milk and bread (€3.20). Since the clothes are a one-off, I use the credit card for that purchase.

3.30 pm: We grab a coffee and a pastry (partner gets these) and then head home.

5.00 pm: I cook chilli and lime chicken breasts with some potatoes for us to have for dinner. We had initially planned to go into town for a walk but the weather is not going in our favour so we sit down for a while.

7.30 pm: I clean up the kitchen and put the dishwasher on, and my partner makes a start on the ironing. I book a desk in the office for tomorrow as I am meeting up with a friend for coffee and a catch up.

10.30 pm: I get ready for bed but, of course, I don’t actually end up falling asleep until 1 am or shortly after.

Today’s total: €93.20

Weekly subtotal: €1,205.30

***

What I learned –

  • I have spent way more than I usually do this week, like on the interrailing ticket and on new clothes. This week was also when rent comes out, so a more accurate week would be about €900 less than this.
  • I spend a lot of money on coffees and smokes but, as I budget for these items, the costs are not too shocking to me. I would say that I should probably limit buying coffees to social occasions and make my own coffees during the week as those €3.40s add up quicker than I thought.
  • I compared this week to a week of 12-hour to 15-hour shifts I did two weeks ago; I found that I was spending so much money on food orders on takeaway apps. I’m glad to see that it has gone down so much now that both my partner and I have time to cook and prepare meals for the week again.
  • When all of the one-off expenses are removed, I have managed to only overspend €20 on my budgeted amount for the week. Not the worst result!

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    Mute Blackwater
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:10 AM

    Just give it back. It’s not yours! Your Empire days are over!

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    Mute Richard Keogh
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:24 AM

    @Blackwater: It’s not Britain’s to give back, it belongs to the people of Gibraltar who overwhelmingly wish to remain as part of the UK. Are you suggesting that they should be forced to join Spain against their will? I take it you also support Spain returning Melilla and Cueta to Morocco, or are you just an Anglophobe?

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    Mute Daniel Wilson
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:24 AM

    @Blackwater: try telling the locals that

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    Mute Darragh O'Connell
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:25 AM

    And Spain should return Ceuta and Melilla.

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    Mute Peter Dwyer
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:42 AM

    I’d say the majority of Spanish people living there in the 18th century when the brits were gifted the territory overwhelmingly wished to remain a part of Spain. What do you think happened to them once the brits came to town. So don’t give me the poor people of Gibraltar crap

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:55 AM

    @Blackwater: rubbish, who are you to say this! Gib will always remain British UNLESS the residents vote otherwise! Same thing applies to Northern Ireland and get that anti British chip off your shoulder buddy.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:56 AM

    @Richard Keogh: Blackwater lives in their own little world

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    Mute Piotrek Król
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:03 AM

    @Peter Dwyer:

    Oh dear. You are aware that the world’s borders in the 1700′s were nothing like what they are now ya? European Nationalities and ethnic groups have been pushed and pulled from empire to empire, country to country with the stroke of a pen…forever.

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    Mute Mark Gearey
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:10 AM

    @Piotrek Król: That’s no kind of refutation. Point is if it would be unfair on the Brits there now to give it back, it was unfair on the Spanish there when it was taken.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:11 AM

    @Blackwater: and give America and Australia back to the natives while you’re on a roll.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:13 AM

    @Peter Dwyer: thats 200 years ago what?

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    Mute Ben McArthur
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:48 AM

    And in a couple of weeks, the same people telling Britain to “give back” Gibraltar will be just as loudly arguing for self determination for Catalunya.

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    Mute brian magee
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    Apr 5th 2017, 9:16 AM

    @Richard Keogh: they overwhelmingly want to remain in the EU 96% voted remain.

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    Mute Piotrek Król
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    Apr 5th 2017, 9:28 AM

    @Mark Gearey:

    Of course it was unfair on the Spanish, but it was 300 years ago so it’s completely irrelevant as 90+% of the current people of Gibraltar associate with Britain, not Spain. Do you get it?

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    Mute brian magee
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    Apr 5th 2017, 9:48 AM

    @Piotrek Król: 96% want to stay in the EU there lies the problem

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    Mute Piotrek Król
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    Apr 5th 2017, 11:45 AM

    @brian magee:

    If there was a vote in the morning, Gibraltarians would have to choose whether to stay with Britain, or to leave and go with the EU. Yes, 96% voted to stay (in the Brexit referendum), but in 2002, 98% rejected shared sovereignty with Spain. They might shortly find out if they can keep their cake or if they will have to eat it.

    The REAL problem is the Brits want Gibraltar and the Spanish want Gibraltar, not what the people of Gibraltar want.

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    Mute David Conroy
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    Apr 5th 2017, 12:11 PM

    @Richard Keogh: Not to mention the Canary Islands !

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    Mute Avina Laaf
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    Apr 5th 2017, 5:52 PM

    If Spain don’t get Gibraltar back will they go looking for Portugal next?

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    Mute Rhys Mc Quillan
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    Apr 5th 2017, 11:26 PM

    @Richard Keogh: Did you read the article at all?

    “Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU by a margin of 96%.”

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    Mute paddy
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:18 AM

    Let the Spaniards remove free medical from the 100,000 brits living in Spain and reimpose passport controls on the millions of Brits holidaying there. They won’t be long throwing Gib under the bus. Hilarious Tory willy waving!

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    Mute Simon
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:25 AM

    @paddy: That won’t be good news for EU citizens living in the UK. Theresa May won’t take that lying down.

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    Mute paddy
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:28 AM

    @Simon: more of us. More spending power. And those numptys in Tyrone and Armagh haven’t gone away. And already, a senior Tory is sabre rattling. Wtf? They haven’t a clue what they’re doing. Seriously. Their heads are full of past glories.

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    Mute Lord Clanricarde
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:34 AM

    @Simon: Yes she will, she will lie down and take it. She needs those Europeans so much more than Europe needs those Brits.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:59 AM

    @paddy: sorry buddy as much as you would love that to happen the Spanish would never do that, expats both British and IRISH too
    bring millions into their basketcase economy.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:18 AM

    @paddy: dont forget the Spaniards who work in the UK too. They send money home to keep their relatives from poverty. . One thing for sure is that the British will never give up Gib.

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    Mute paddy
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:27 AM

    @Gus Sheridan: but it’s not a tricolour flying over the Rock and all I’m saying is that Spain has skin in this game too. There was a time when it took at least 5 hours to cross from Spain into the Rock. My issue is really with stupid Tories

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    Mute Jho Harris
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:55 AM

    @paddy: It is typical that Spain has a say about what Britain does about Gibraltar and here in Ireland will have our European masters decide what goes on here. Disgraceful. Government we have been stuck with, no moral fibre in any of them but after Brian Cowan allowed them to dictate after we voted against their great plan all hope for us was lost.

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    Mute lavbeer
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    Apr 5th 2017, 6:54 AM

    The border with Gibraltar is easily enforceable. It won’t be a big deal either way. Problem will be that many people live in Spain as Gibraltar is a kip of the highest order.

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    Mute David Conroy
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    Apr 5th 2017, 12:16 PM

    @lavbeer: That was true 20 years ago, it was a sihthole. Millions have been pumped in to the economy in recent times and Gibralter is now a prosperous place with virtually no crime.

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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:05 AM

    I used to work with an ex British navy guy who was stationed on a nuclear submarine. Apparently that rock is largely hollow inside with all sorts of secret government sh!t going on. Anymore info than that was “classified” and he always refused to give us further details no matter how drunk we got him. He was a real diligent army bore but intriguing all the same when you see how badly they want to keep it.

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    Mute paddy
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:08 AM

    @Tweed Cap: he’s also full of crap!

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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:15 AM

    Dunno Pa

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:17 AM

    Many interesting people do have a bizarre ‘inside story ‘ which often turns out to be BS.

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    Mute Andy K
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:42 AM

    @Tweed Cap: If it was true what he told you then he already said enough to get himself hanged. If he didnt tell you more it was a lie.

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    Mute Avina Laaf
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:03 AM

    @Anthony Byrne:
    Especially where drink is involved!

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    Mute Mark Gearey
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:13 AM

    @Tweed Cap: Sounds like the thunderbirds.

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    Mute Declan O'Neill
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:55 AM

    @Tweed Cap: Not sure about largely hollow but I have been there and there are certainly tunnels and rooms built into it, it’s even part of a tourist attraction.

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    Mute Damocles
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    Apr 5th 2017, 9:23 AM

    @Declan O’Neill: Operation Tracer.

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    Mute David Conroy
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    Apr 5th 2017, 12:22 PM

    @Tweed Cap: The tunnels are everywhere. I had the pleasure to spend 3 hours rummaging in the closed off WW2 tunnels and the restricted part is where munitions are stored to this day before being transported to conflict zones. Apparently, the low humidity and temperate climate is perfect for storing munitions. Most of the tunnels are open to the public as are some of the caves but getting access to the others is fascinating !

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    Mute I invented the @
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    Apr 5th 2017, 6:53 AM

    Great breakfast synopsis Sean cheers!

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    Mute Rathminder
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:11 AM

    They voted for Brexit and people now want to exit- from the UK!

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    Mute cortisola
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    Apr 5th 2017, 10:49 AM

    @Rathminder: Gibraltar actually voted against Brexit as they live mostly on tax fraud so it will be harder for them when off EU…

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    Mute canuckandgo
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:13 AM

    How is this news, one old fuddy duddy says something stupid and daft news outlets take it as government policy. This is a prime example of why there is a sector of our society has developed into state it is in, welcome to generation outraged.

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:22 AM

    My guess is that absolutely nothing will change in the way Gibraltar ans conduct their business. At worse they may need to add a new field or two to a database screen at their passport control booth at the border.

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    Mute Andy K
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:29 AM

    @Anthony Byrne: Everything will be more expensive. They have to import everything, and when free trade is over they will have to pay taxes.

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:59 AM

    @Andy K: things getting more expensive is a given, Everywhere.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:21 AM

    @Andy K: no they will be subsidised by the UK. Look guys, Britain will NEVER give the Rock back to the Spanish, get over it.

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    Mute Declan O'Neill
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:59 AM

    One word for Gibraltar: KIP

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    Mute Damocles
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    Apr 5th 2017, 9:05 AM

    How did you manage to write this “explainer” without mentioning the Spanish incursion yesterday? You barely mention Spain at all. You don’t mention that Spain only got serious about moaning about Gib under Franco even. Perhaps you should write it again. Properly.

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    Mute David Grey
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    Apr 5th 2017, 9:22 AM

    Storm in a Teapot!
    Britain PAID Spain for Gibraltar and it was signed over to the British- by the same logic Russia should be able to get Alaska back From the US!
    Spain are in the wrong here!

    If Spain forced 300,000 British pensioners to leave the frail Spanish economy would totally collapse , a boycott of Spain by British tourists would see Spain continuing to spiral towards chaos – the contagion could also see Deutsche Bank fall as it is barely keeping it’s head above water as it is!
    British tourism keeps Spain afloat, only an imbecile would do anything to destabilise this!

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    Mute Manuel Mancilla Hurtado
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    Apr 5th 2017, 12:29 PM

    @David Grey: Do you really think our economy is exclusively based on your British tourism? I am agree is a good thing for Spanish economy but so faaarr pal of be our salvation. Really, I love England, such a big nation. I think a part of you (leave voters) are reeeeally wrong. I think you all (that half peasant part of UK) are addressing the country towards a cliff.

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    Mute Manuel Mancilla Hurtado
    Favourite Manuel Mancilla Hurtado
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    Apr 5th 2017, 12:31 PM

    @David Grey: Do you really think our economy is exclusively based on your British tourism? I am agree is a good thing for Spanish economy but so faaarr pal of be our salvation. Really, I love England, such a big nation. I think a part of you (leave voters) are reeeeally wrong. I think you all (that peasant part of UK) are addressing the country towards a cliff.

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    Mute David Grey
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    Apr 5th 2017, 3:38 PM

    @Manuel Mancilla Hurtado:
    No I don’t think the Spanish economy is solely based on Tourism -but I do know the Spanish economy is not capable of taking a huge hit such as the property market collapse and lack of tourist revenue that would ensue!
    My opinion is not based on bias (I can’t stand the Tories)- it is based on economics!
    Conflict with Britain would push the Spanish economy over the top & over the fiscal cliff- the contagion effect would also affect Europe and Britain as a whole!
    This is all just posturing & rather stupid by both the Spanish and the British!
    Hopefully Scotland & Northern Ireland will gain Independence sometime because of the Brexit madness!

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    Mute Andy K
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    Apr 5th 2017, 7:28 AM

    Why not let them have a vote on it? If they have a Parliament then they probably will before brexit is complete.

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    Mute Donal Carey
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    Apr 5th 2017, 9:38 AM

    It was never yours to keep give it back to Spain and try looking after your own messed up Country.

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    Mute Manuel Mancilla Hurtado
    Favourite Manuel Mancilla Hurtado
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    Apr 5th 2017, 12:38 PM

    @Donal Carey: My country is not messed anymore, what is messed is your country from several flanks. From Scotland which want to leave you (something normal as you lately behave as peasants), Belfast same way, and maybe even Welsh hahahh really shut up u all a bit, ok? Have that part of UK that vote to leave and is insulting Spain read a book? Is a nice thing to do, you can learn all kind of stuff. Try pal! read! live! lol

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    Mute Colin Smith
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    Apr 5th 2017, 9:37 AM

    The biggest factor here, which has gone unnoticed is that Gibraltar is a defacto tax haven which currently operates with an open border with Spain, thanks to its UK connection. This will have far more bearing on negotiations than a 200 year old treaty and the naval dockyard.

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:51 AM

    If Gibraltar doesn’t stay separate from Spain, where will Spaniards drive to in order to bank their black money?

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    Mute Blind Faith
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:27 AM

    Now isn’t it time that the Queen of England and King Felipe of Spain, sat down over a nice cup of tea and some cucumber sandwiches, and sorted out this whole Gibraltar debacle, before someone does something stupid.

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    Mute Ben McArthur
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    Apr 5th 2017, 8:46 AM

    @Blind Faith: The last time there was a King Philip and a Queen Elizabeth, it didn’t go well. Best tell Dingle to get ready for some more visitors.

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    Mute Harry Whitehead
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    Apr 5th 2017, 1:59 PM

    @Blind Faith: No such thing as ‘the Queen of England’. There hasn’t been a Kingdom of England in over 300 years.

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    Mute John Dillon
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    Apr 5th 2017, 4:57 PM

    Let the British fleet and the Spanish Armada fight it out. I just want all Spanish and English boats out of our valuable fishing waters!

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    Apr 5th 2017, 10:16 AM

    The Brexit Monkeys clearly have a fondness for Gibraltar’s monkeys.

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    Mute Leitrim303
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    Apr 5th 2017, 10:10 AM

    Gibraltar should become its own country within the EU.

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    Mute Manuel Mancilla Hurtado
    Favourite Manuel Mancilla Hurtado
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    Apr 5th 2017, 12:40 PM

    @Leitrim303: Of course, we can make of every region a country, or better of every city, no please wait, we could make a nation of every quarter in the city! lmao

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Apr 5th 2017, 11:17 AM

    The British will leave when the monkeys leave the rock!

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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Apr 5th 2017, 11:34 AM

    Stupid wars are triggered by jingoistic sabre rattling.

    Howard is a buffoon but it takes buffoons to light the fuses for wars.

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    Mute Harry Whitehead
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    Apr 5th 2017, 1:57 PM

    For god’s sake, this is getting ridiculous. Michael Howard – aka Tory has-been, figure of ridicule (look up Rory Bremner’s impersonations of him), somebody who nobody takes seriously anymore – gobbed off because the EU have behaved like hypocrites. That’s all that has happened. Yes, really.

    Yet people are acting as though Michael Howard’s braindarts are official announcements from HM Government. It’s an absolutely hysterical overreaction. The Journal’s getting as bad as the Grauniad – every brainfart from any rightwing crackpot put there (Melanie Philips, Katie Hopkins, etc) is being judged as though it represents the voice of the UK, and every Anglophobe out there is leaping aboard the bandwagon.

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