Their placards read "No to sectarianism" and "Yes to peace" but there was no concealing the fact that the turnout for yesterday's anti-sectarianism rally in front of Belfast City Hall was disappointing.
Around 3,000 had turned up braving the drizzly rain to express their disgust at recent sectarian killings in the city. However, the crowds spilling down Royal Avenue looked rather thin in comparison to the 30,000 who gathered in condemnation of the killing of a Catholic postman, Mr Daniel McColgan, six months ago.
"You just can't help getting the feeling that it doesn't do any good anyway," said Mr Danny Clenaghan from west Belfast. "Then again, what else can you do to show the men of violence that enough is enough? I have two young sons myself. To think that in a few years' time they might be heading out for the night and never come back like those lads [Mr McColgan and Mr Gerald Lawlor, killed by the UFF two weeks ago] - it just churns your stomach."
Ms Pauline Baird, who had travelled from Newtownards, Co Down, said she was sceptical about the motives of those behind the rally. "I just wanted to do something but I feel the people organising this have their own agenda. Would they ever come out so quickly if Protestants were murdered? And you would wonder about the commitment to anti-sectarianism of some of those attending, wouldn't you?" she said, glancing sideways at a trio of prominent Sinn Féin politicians, Mr Gerry Adams, Mr Pat Doherty and Mr Gerry Kelly who had mingled with the crowd.
As the Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr Patrick Walsh, joined with the Rev David Kerr from the Methodist Church's Belfast Mission and the Presbyterian Church's Rev Kerry McMullan to lead the crowd in prayer and psalms, two other clergy said they had had "more reason than ever" to express their disgust at sectarianism. The Rev Elizabeth Hughes had just witnessed her house of worship, Whitehouse Presbyterian Church in Newtownabbey, destroyed by sectarian arsonists. She was joined by Father Dan Whyte from the nearby Catholic parish church, who had insisted on accompanying her to the rally, and said she had been "greatly encouraged" by the support she had received from the Catholic community.
The ICTU's assistant general secretary, Mr Peter Bunting, insisted he was by no means discouraged by the relatively low turnout. "On the contrary, I think it is quite exceptional given that this is the holiday period and the weather is dreadful.
In fact, I have been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm here and I am even more encouraged that we have had politicians from almost every political party on the podium here."