UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 6-K

                        Report of Foreign Private Issuer


                        Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
                    under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934




                          For the date of 19 May, 2003

                   ALLIED IRISH BANKS, public limited company

             Bankcentre, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant  files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F..X... Form 40-F.....

Indicate by check mark whether the  registrant  by  furnishing  the  information
contained  in this  Form is  also  thereby  furnishing  the  information  to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes ..... No ..X...

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________



               ALLIED IRISH BANKS, P.L.C. PURCHASE OF OWN SHARES

Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c.  ("AIB") (NYSE:AIB) announces that on 16 May 2003, it
purchased  5,771,962 of its ordinary shares, at an average price of EUR13.65725,
to be held as treasury shares.


                                     -ENDS-


For further information please contact:

Alan Kelly                                        Catherine Burke
Head of Capital & Group Investor Relations        Head of Corporate Relations
AIB Group                                         AIB Group
Bankcentre                                        Bankcentre
Ballsbridge                                       Ballsbridge
Dublin 4                                          Dublin 4
Tel: 353-1-6600311 ext. 12162                     Tel: 353-1-6600311 ext. 13894



                                   Signatures

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorised.


                                                ALLIED IRISH BANKS, p.l.c.
                                                (Registrant)




Date  19 May 2003                               By: ___________________
                                                    Gary Kennedy
                                                    Group Director, Finance,
                                                    Risk and Enterprise
                                                    Technology
                                                    Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c.