Director Shareholding

W.H. Ireland Group PLC
08 April 2004


W.H. Ireland Group plc (the 'Company') - Notification of interests of directors
                             and connected persons

The Company was notified on 7 April that on 6 April 2004 David Youngman, Deputy
Chief Executive, transferred 500,000 ordinary shares to his spouse, Mrs LC
Youngman and 100,000 shares to his adult son RA Youngman. The market price of
each transfer was 75p per share.

As a result Mr RA Youngman holds 100,000 ordinary shares (approximately 0.64% of
the issued share capital of the Company) and DW Youngman and persons connected
with him have the following holdings of ordinary shares of 5p each in the
capital of the Company:

                 No. of ordinary shares    % of issued ordinary share capital
Mr DW Youngman                 1,555,216                                  9.91
Mrs LC Youngman
(spouse)                         573,894                                  3.66

Mr Youngman is also interested in 394,129 ordinary shares as joint beneficiary
of the Readycount Pension Scheme together with WL Beevers.

Enquiries:

W.H. Ireland Group plc

David Youngman                                                   0161 832 6644




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