Portadoun

Portadoun (frae Erse Port a' Dúnáin meinin "port o the smaw stranghaud") is a toun in Coonty Armagh, Northren Ireland. The toun ligs on the River Bann in the north o the coontie, aboot 23 mile (38 km) sooth-wast o Belfast. Hit is in the Craigavon Burgh Cooncil aurie an haed aboot 22,000 indwallers at the 2001 Census.

St Mark's Kirk o Ireland in central Portadoun

Awtho Portadoun can trace hits springheid til the aerlie 17t centurie, hit wis no til the Victorian eild an the cumin o the railwey that hit becam a major toun. Portadoun is kent as "the hub o the North" due ti hit bein a major railwey infaw in the past; whaur the Gret Northren Railwey's line sindert for Belfast, Dublin, Armagh an Lunnonderry.

In the 1990s, Portadoun wis drawn ti the heed o the warld's media bi the "Drumcree staundaff". This is the latest pairt o a lang-runnin threip ower paraudin that began in the 19t centurie an haes led ti monie riots and deiths.