BELFAST City Hail has long been a bastion of Britishness. A statue of Queen Victoria looms ominously in the grounds outside and the Union Jack flutters overhead. Portraits of the great and the good who ruled the city for a century stare haughtily down from on high.
It's normally a cold, conservative place but yesterday a new atmosphere was in evidence.
Groups of Sinn Fein and PUP supporters walked through the marbled splendour as though they owned it. The corridors were ablaze with the PUP's orange and purple rosettes and Sinn Fein's green ribbons.
"It's great being in City Hall," said a PUP activist. "When I was growing up, I always thought this building was for snobs, for the upper classes who lived in big houses. But I'm here today and I'm from the back streets of the Shankill and proud of it."
The PUP had cause for celebration. It had two councillors elected - David Ervine and Billy Hutchinson.
Winning elections is new to the party and its supporters took great pleasure in addressing "Councillor Ervine" at every opportunity. "We're doing it just to annoy the DUP," said a PUP worker.
The results of only half of Belfast's council wards are known, the remainder will be counted today. Another PUP candidate, Hugh Smyth, is confident of victory in the Shankill ward of Court.
The UDP, by comparison, polled poorly and failed to secure a seat. "It's very depressing, our vote just crumbled," admitted a party worker who looked on enviously as the PUP sailed to victory.
The PUP took votes from the main unionist parties but the DUP seemed to suffer most. Still, its party secretary, Nigel Dodds, topped the poll in north Belfast.
"This is a vindication of our firm leadership," he said defiantly. "There will still be a strong DUP team in City Hall for the next four years.
Another happy DUP councillor was Sammy Wilson. Last year, the Sunday World published photographs of him romping naked around the English countryside. There were fears that puritanical Protestants might refuse to support him this time but Sammy came safely through.
Some UUP councillors were not happy with their leader's role in the election campaign. "David Trimble didn't come out on the streets and canvass with us enough and he hasn't even bothered to show up at City Hall today, although Paisley and Adams have been here," said one.
Mr Adams entered the building like a world's statesman. Sinn Fein, like the PUP, had every reason to be pleased with itself. West Belfast will be counted today but in the north and east of the city, republicans performed strongly.
In north Belfast, the SDLP was ahead of Sinn Fein in the recent Westminster election but this time Sinn Fein outpolled it by 3,000 votes in the Castle and Oldpark wards, picking up an extra seat in middleclass Castle.
Tom Campbell of Alliance was delighted to regain the seat which he lost by 16 votes to the SDLP four years ago. The SDLP chairman, Mr Jonathon Stephenson, who was the defeated candidate, looked glum.
The Women's Coalition polled poorly, picking up only 534 votes from three wards. Still, change was in the air. An extra seat for Sinn Fein in Castle and the SDLP in Balmoral means that unionists will no longer hold the balance of power on the council.
After tomorrow's results, the Sinn Fein SDLP Alliance bloc should have a majority and there will be a strong PUP presence.
Last night, David Ervine couldn't hide his enthusiasm. "We aim to work for the people of Belfast and to put a big smile back on this city's face. It's a great place, you know."
A victory cavalcade blasting Loyalist songs took to the streets last night. The cars were bedecked with Union Jacks, their registration numbers concealed. Outside City Hall PUP supporters waved flags. "UVF Belfast Brigade", some read.