Portadoun

St Mark's Kirk o Ireland in central 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.

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.