6-K

                                    FORM 6-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

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

                           For the month of May, 2003

                        Commission File Number 001-13896



                              Elan Corporation, plc
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (Translation of registrant's name into English)


                 Lincoln House, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Ireland
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)



     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 if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):

                 Yes / /                               No /X/

     Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of
a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security
holders.


     Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):

                 Yes / /                               No /X/





                                      -2-


     Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of
a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the
registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of
the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally
organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home
country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the
report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has
not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a
material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other
Commission filing on EDGAR.

     Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in
this Form, the registrant 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):








This Report of Foreign Issuer on Form 6-K is incorporated by reference into the
Registration Statements on Form F-3 of Elan Corporation, plc (Registration Nos.
333-10718, 333-10726 and 333-100252), the Registration Statement on Form F-4 of
Elan Corporation, plc and the Post-Effective Amendments thereto on Forms F-3 and
S-8 (No. 333-12756), the Registration Statement of Elan and Athena Neuroscience
Finance, LLC (No. 333-13130), and the Registration Statements on Form S-8 of
Elan Corporation, plc (Registration Nos. 333-13996, 333-12344, 333-11940,
333-09644, 333-09284, 333-09048, 333-08384, 333-07361, 333-07136, 333-14240,
33-27506 and 333-100556).






                                       EXHIBIT LIST


       Exhibit          Description
       -------          -----------

         99.1           Press Release dated May 8, 2003.












                                   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 authorized.



                                 ELAN CORPORATION, plc



                                 By:   /s/ William F. Daniel
                                       --------------------------------------
                                       William F. Daniel
                                       Company Secretary

Date: May 9, 2003

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1



                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contacts:
Investors:  (U.S.)         Investors:  (Europe)             Media:
Jack Howarth               Emer Reynolds                    Sunny Uberoi
Ph:  212-407-5740          Ph:  353-1-709-4000              Ph:  212-994-8206
     800-252-3526               00800 28352600                   800-252-3526



             ELAN ANNOUNCES RECEIPT OF FTC LETTER REGARDING SKELAXIN

DUBLIN, IRELAND, May 8, 2003 -- Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) ("Elan")
announced today that it has received a letter from the U.S. Federal Trade
Commission (the "FTC") informing Elan that the FTC has discontinued that portion
of its investigation concerning whether Elan wrongfully listed its patent for
Skelaxin(TM) (metaxalone) in the Food and Drug Administration's Orange Book
(Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations). The letter
further states that the FTC is "no longer investigating any Elan activities
relating to Skelaxin that would lead us to recommend that the [FTC] commence a
law enforcement action for the removal of the [Skelaxin] patent from the Orange
Book." Elan continues to work closely with the FTC regarding matters unrelated
to the Orange Book listing of the Skelaxin patent.

G. Kelly Martin, Elan's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We
believe that the FTC's letter further confirms and validates our previously
stated position that all conditions to King Pharmaceuticals' agreement to close
its purchase of Elan's primary care franchise have at all times been, and
continue to be, satisfied."

On March 14, 2003, Elan announced that the FTC had commenced a non-public
investigation to determine whether Elan or any other person had engaged in
unfair methods of competition with respect to Skelaxin. On March 17, 2003, Elan
commenced an action against King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. alleging that King
breached its agreement to purchase Elan's primary care franchise (principally
consisting of Elan's U.S. and Puerto




Rican rights to Sonata(TM) (zaleplon) and Skelaxin). A trial date has been set
for May 15, 2003.

Elan is focused on the discovery, development, manufacturing, selling and
marketing of novel therapeutic products in neurology, pain management and
autoimmune diseases. Elan shares trade on the New York, London and Dublin Stock
Exchanges.

This document contains forward-looking statements about Elan's financial
condition, results of operations and business prospects that involve substantial
risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the fact that they
use words such as "anticipate", "estimate", "project", "envisage", "intend",
"plan", "believe" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection
with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or events.
Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those described herein are the following: the outcome of the litigation with
King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. relating to the sale to King of Elan's primary care
franchise; and the risk that the transaction will fail to close on a timely
basis or at all. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties
and other matters can be found in Elan's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2001, and in its Reports of Foreign Issuer on
Form 6-K. Elan assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.