About 50 Democratic Unionist Party members gathered in the moonlight to pin Union Jacks to the gates of Hillsborough Castle last night.
"If it wasn't for the treachery going on inside, this would be quite romantic", one young party member said.
The DUP activist had no doubts that those taking part in discussions behind the gates had one aim only - to sell out Ulster.
"The flags are to remind David Trimble and Tony Blair just what they are betraying", said Mr Paul Berry, a DUP Assembly member.
Most of the DUP protesters were aged under 30. "Nobody can say we are old fogeys", said Mr Edwin Poots.
Extra protesters arrived by the hour, bringing more flags. "Open up the Union Jack for RTE", Mr Berry joked.
The protesters' eyes were firmly focused on Hillsborough Castle in case Messrs Blair or Trimble came out.
They were keen not to miss the opportunity to hurl abuse. But no one passed by, except an RUC officer with an Alsatian dog, which barked viciously when it saw the protesters. "They are probably trained not to like Union Jacks. I bet they wag their tails for the Tricolour", one member of the DUP group said.
Many of the protesters wore red, white and blue scarves, or Orange ribbons in solidarity with the Orangemen at Drumcree.
As the hours passed with no firm evidence of political progress, the protesters relaxed. Some had even brought deckchairs. "We'll have an oul' singsong at midnight to keep up the spirit", one man said.
There were no facilities for the press at Hillsborough. Reporters and camera crews paced up and down in a vain attempt to keep warm.
A journalist with GMTV stretched out on her camera crew ladders. "I am pretending this is a hammock in the Caribbean", she said.
But no one could doubt that it was Northern Ireland. The rendition of The Sash and the Union Jack and Ulster flags shimmering in the moonlight made sure of that.