For a relatively small city, Portland has quite a few Irish pubs.

Brian Boru on Center Street stands out from the crowd with its bright-red exterior and giant Guinness toucan mural painted on the side of the building. For as bright as the building is outside, the inside captures the essence of an Irish public house perfectly.

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Jeff Dalbec, who has tended bar at Brian Boru in Portland for 19 years, pours a glass of red wine. Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Its brick interior, cozy dark bar and long tables for large gatherings on the first floor remind me of places I went while traveling in Ireland. A second bar upstairs and a patio area lend more space for people to gather.

When I dropped in for a drink on Valentine’s Day, the lower bar was crowded with happy hour revelers. I squeezed my way between people to get the attention of the bartender, who was busily filling pints of beer. Brian Boru has a full bar, but I saw most people drinking a pint — whether it was Guinness, Smithwick’s or a local brew depended on the person.

I was contemplating a Guinness myself, until I saw Shipyard’s new brew, Applehead, on tap. I am a huge fan of their Pumpkinhead, and Applehead reminds me of the fall brew. It costs $4.25 on tap.

I couldn’t find a seat right at the bar, so I made my way to the back and grabbed a table. I noticed the one I sat at had a cribbage board and a deck of cards. The other tables had games such as Connect Four, Scrabble and Apples to Apples. The server told me they were set up for Tuesday night’s game night, which starts at 6 p.m., and that games were also available throughout the week if people asked.

I was surprised at how busy the bar was for a Tuesday, but maybe it was because it was Valentine’s Day. I do know it’s a popular place for post-work happy hour, and some people were dressed like they came from the office.

I’ve also seen how busy it gets out on the patio when the weather gets warmer and bands are playing.

With more time to kill before meeting up with my friend, I ordered a house garden salad with maple-brined grilled chicken and lemon caper vinaigrette for $12. Sometimes pubs miss the mark on salads, but this one was especially delicious. The greens and vegetables were crisp and fresh, and the chicken added great flavor. It all complemented my Applehead very well.

Less than a month away from St. Patrick’s Day, general manager Chris Rockwell said plans are in place for a day full of entertainment. By a day full, he really means it. The pub will open its doors at 6 a.m. to kick off the day with a traditional Irish breakfast.

Traditional Irish music will start around 7:30 a.m. with a couple of performers through 11:30 a.m., at which time the Cora Highlanders Bagpipers will take over and roam the city. Aidan O’Brien and “other lads” will do a poetry reading at 9:30 a.m.

Events are planned all the way through 1 a.m., and the full schedule is available at brianboruportland.com. The pub is also keeping a St. Patrick’s countdown on its Facebook page.

Emma Bouthillette is a freelance writer who lives in Biddeford.

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