There were no street parties in the deeply divided Portadown, Co Armagh, last night to celebrate the peace deal.
On the nationalist Garvaghy Road, Tricolours fly from nearly every lamp-post. In loyalist areas, freshly painted wall murals of the murdered Loyalist Volunteer Force leader, Billy Wright, appear at an increasing rate.
Loyalists are suspicious of the peace deal. Clifford Forbes's views are typical. "The whole process that led to this settlement was not democratic. Ordinary people were kept in the dark while the politicians negotiated. There were three governments involved in this - the British, the Irish and the American government - and people here don't trust any of them."
Mr Forbes voiced opposition to the cross-Border bodies which will be set up. "The South of Ireland has enough problems without sticking its nose in our affairs. Let them sort out their drugs situation before they bother with us."
He believed that regardless of Sinn Fein's protestations republicans were not genuine about peace. "A few weeks ago a bomb planted by republican terrorists devastated this town. How can we trust people like that? Nationalist children as young as five are out on the streets rioting and throwing stones at the police - that hardly inspires confidence."
Another loyalist, Sam, said he feared further republican attacks over coming days. Portadown is part of the constituency of the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble. Sam believed he had "sold out his birthright" by agreeing to the settlement. "There will be a massive campaign to unseat him now," he said. "There is no way that David Trimble will be MP for Upper Bann after the next election. He is finished in this town."
There was speculation on the streets that the former DUP MP, the Rev Willie Mc Crea, who lost his seat to Martin McGuin ness in last year's general election, could stand against Mr Trimble.
"David Trimble has agreed to this deal in the face of intimidation from the IRA and he could well have destroyed his own career," said Mark Proctor. "He could be heading for the scrap-heap of history.
"The IRA want to get the British out of Northern Ireland. By the British they mean us, the Protestant people of Northern Ireland. Republicans will not even be satisfied with this deal. They will be agitating for more over the next few months."
Nationalists in Portadown remained cautious about the settlement. Anne Campbell said it would be judged on whether it changed people's day-to-day lives.
"Promises on a bit of paper mean nothing, it's the changes actually made that count," she said. "For years, Catholics have been trampled upon in this town. Will life be any different for us now? Will we have equal rights?"
More important than the deal, she said, was whether the Orange Order would be allowed to march down the Garvaghy Road this summer. "If they are allowed to march, if the RUC invades this community and forces them through, then the peace agreement will me an nothing."
Another woman, Maria, welcomed the deal. "Everybody should give it a chance. We have had nearly 30 years of conflict, let's give this deal three years to see if it will work? We have nothing to lose by waiting."
However, her friend Denise said: "There won't be a solution here until the British government stands up to the unionists. Catholics get beaten up by loyalists regularly in Portadown. The town centre isn't a safe place for us. There will only be real peace when Catholics can walk safely through the streets without fear for their lives."