Took a few days off work this week, headed up to Portadown to aid in my Dad's rehabilitation after his gall bladder operation. Did what most men do when left to their own devices on a cold afternoon and ended up in the local.
Had an enjoyable afternoon of pints of stout and teenage amnesty when I try unsuccessfully to shock Dad with tails of my youth.
When searching for a link for the pub we were in I came across a very concise review of Portadown's pubs by the the Better Red than Dead Portadown FC fanzine.
http://www.brtd.co.uk/PUB%20GUIDE.htm.
Most of the pubs on the list don't have much of an interest for visitors to the town, but one bar which is within walking distance of the train station and is well worth a visit IMO is McConvilles. (Portadown's answer to The Crown.)
"McConvilles pub dates back to 1865 but moved to its present site in 1900. It preserves original wooden snugs inside, has etched glass windows at ground floor level and an iron door canopy and lantern. Local tradition has it that some of the Russian Oak fittings in the bar were made to the same design as that used on board the Titanic. There are original gas light fittings, now run on bottled gas."
It's a grade B listed building and the Campaign for Real Ale has a nice write up about it:
http://www.camra.org.uk/SHWebClass.ASP?WCI=ShowDoc&DocID=485
There is a gas lighter on the bar which is modelled on an infamous con man, picture and brief story here.