The future was on everybody's mind at Saturday's meeting of the ruling council of the Ulster Unionist Party. For some in the Europa Hotel, frightening prospects were appearing on the horizon. "I'll tell you why I'm opposed, because I don't want my children going to school in years to come with Gerry Adams as minister for education," said one younger delegate.
Outside on the street, where loyalists of differing hues were waving identical flags and hurling abuse at one another, people were also thinking about their children.
"See these youngsters here, that's why we're saying Yes," shouted a man across police barriers. "Aye, and they'll be happy learning Irish at school," retorted a bespectacled youth in the No camp.
The two sets of loyalists had arrived well before the start of the 10 a.m. meeting. After some stand-up shouting matches, police erected barriers to keep them apart and allow entry to the hotel.
There were more than 100 on either side. In the Yes camp were mainly supporters of the Ulster Democratic Party, which is linked to the UDA. Leading members of the party, including the prisons spokesman, John White, were present.
One young woman from the Shankill Road, wearing gold rings on every finger and a UDA/UFF T-shirt, was determined to shout down the No camp.
"For the first time there is going to be peace in Belfast, and that is what we want. They don't want peace, they don't want prisoners released. We're 100 per cent behind David Trimble."
One man held aloft models of Laurel and Hardy with the names "Paisley" and "McCartney", while others waved Union and Ulster flags, and held posters calling for a Yes vote.
For the most part the atmosphere was good-humoured, even if the language was harsh.
The anti-agreement protesters were led by Mr Joel Patton of the Spirit of Drumcree group, and the loyalist campaigner Ms Pauline Gilmore.
"We're being totally sold out, once again," one man said. Around him, people carried posters saying: "The Union is safe. So was the Titanic" and "Trimble wanted for treason".
Mr Patton said he was there to let the world know that "ordinary unionists" were against the peace agreement. "These are the people from the country. We have people here who have lost fathers and brothers in the UDR and police. They are coming to say that they are being betrayed."
At 11 a.m. the No group departed. The other side then had no reason to stay on. The flags came down, children were rounded up and the Yes campaigners headed home.