Allied Irish Bank makes announcement.

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 21, 1996-- Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. (NYSE: AIB; AIBPR; FMBPR) has today (21st May 1996) received notification pursuant to section 67 of the Companies Act 1990 that, as at 13 May 1996, Irish Life Assurance p.l.c. held 45,989,052 ordinary shares of the Bank, registered as follows:

- AIB Custodial Nominees Ltd No. 4 a/c 45,144,737 - Bank of Ireland Nominees Ltd A/c 502 844,315

This represents 6.8% of the issued share capital.

CONTACT: Catherine Burke,

Media Relations Manager,

Bankcentre,

Dublin 4

Telephone: [phone] ext 13894

or

Clyde Walton

C. Walton & Co.

212/661-1620