DUBLIN, Ireland, April 9, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. ("AIB") (NYSE:AIB) purchases own ordinary shares. Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. announces that on April 8, 2003, it purchased 305,000 of its ordinary shares, at an average price of Euro 12.90 and 32,000 of its ordinary shares at an average price of US $13.83, to be held as treasury shares.