They might have won the Nobel Peace Prize, but John Hume and David Trimble clearly haven't conquered the hearts of the DUP and UK Unionists. Both parties refused to join the standing ovation for the First Minister and the SDLP leader as the North's Assembly reconvened yesterday.
"Prophets are never recognised in their own country", complained one Ulster Unionist. The DUP's Edwin Poots saw it differently. He thought the peace prize was ridiculously premature - like presenting the FA Cup at half-time.
The Assembly hadn't met for several weeks, but proceedings were as acrimonious as ever, with the Irish language the main wrangling point.
Sinn Fein requested that speakers using Irish have extra time to interpret into English and that simultaneous translation facilities be speedily set up.
Gerry Adams said he hoped even the DUP could adopt a liberal attitude. There were loud guffaws of laughter from the Rev Ian Paisley. "Maybe that's a forlorn hope", said Mr Adams.
The UK Unionist leader, Bob McCartney, said he was a tolerant man. Members could address the assembly in Swahili if they wanted. But he was amazed at Sinn Fein's vigorous pursuit of equality for Irish in the Assembly. They didn't seem so keen on it in Republican News, where around 85 per cent of articles were in English.
The DUP's Peter Robinson was even more cutting. Irish was a "show language" for Sinn Fein. Republicans didn't speak it in the privacy of Assembly committees, they only used it "in the public gaze".
Not true, shouted Sinn Fein.
Well, they must whisper it to each other then, Mr Robinson said.
Cedric Wilson, of the UK Unionists, smelt a rat in Sinn Fein's passion for Irish at Stormont. "This is purely for the press. This is Mr Adams attempting to steady the nerves of hardliners unhappy he is in this building."
Some hardliners might be uncomfortable, but the Sinn Fein president was clearly at ease. The casual look finds favour among republican grassroots and Mr Adams removed his shoes for yesterday's debates.
Sinn Fein's Mary Nelis complained about the heckling from unionist ranks when women nationalists were speaking. "This is not proper debate, this is abuse", she said.
Dr Paisley was on his feet immediately. The allegation was a slur not only on unionist members but on the Speaker, Lord Alderdice, because, if it had happened, it meant he hadn't done his job properly.
"That would be quite correct", said Lord Alderdice, who ruled that there had been "robust debate", though on other occasions he had witnessed "even more robust debate".
Mr Adams said he had heard the Rev Willie McCrea say Ms Nelis should "go back to the kitchen".
The DUP man was furious. "You're a liar", he shouted, adding that he wouldn't lower himself to respond further to "anything Adams said".
"We need to calm down a little", said Lord Alderdice, who advised Mr McCrea that calling the Sinn Fein president "Adams" was "not in keeping with proper parliamentary procedure".
Neither was the behaviour of the UUP's Michael McGimpsey, according to the UK Unionists. Mr McGimpsey sat behind Mr McCartney as he delivered a hard-hitting anti-Agreement speech, displaying prominently, for the benefit of television cameras, the newspaper headline "A United Ireland - O'Brien".
The UK Unionists insisted they weren't embarrassed by Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien's weekend comments, but the UUP thought otherwise.
During his speech, Mr McCartney expressed annoyance at interruptions from the UUP's Reg Empey. "I can see from the frequent interjections of Mr Empey, he has taken his Viagra pills today." Mr Empey nodded politely, then held up a newspaper cutting. "Well, Conor Cruise O'Brien took his Viagra pills at the weekend", he said.