Placing of Shares

Grafton Group PLC
13 October 2003

                               Grafton Group plc

                               Placing of Shares



Grafton Group plc announces today 13th October 2003 that Goodbody Stockbrokers
has placed 3 million existing Grafton Units, principally with US and UK
Institutional Investors, at a price of €5.30 per share on behalf of three
Directors of the Company as shown below:-


Directors                                                 Shareholding      Shares            Shareholding
                                                          Before            Sold              After
                                                          Placing                             Placing

Michael Chadwick
- Beneficial and family interests                         24,853,582        2,770,000         22,083,582

Anthony Collins                                           420,000           30,000            390,000

Colm o Nuallain                                           856,298           200,000           656,298




- Ends -
13 October 2003


This announcement has been issued through the Companies Announcement Service of
                           the Irish Stock Exchange.

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