The last time the Rev Ian Paisley was in the King's Hall it was all very different. The referendum result on the Belfast Agreement had just been announced and he was on the losing side. "Bye, bye, dinosaur," pro-agreement activists shouted as he led his defeated team from the building.
A year later, everything was different. Yesterday was undoubtedly the DUP's day. Even their opponents could not deny it.
Dr Paisley secured more votes than the combined total for his three other unionist challengers. After widespread speculation that Mr John Hume would beat him into second place, he actually stretched his lead over the SDLP leader and topped the poll for the fifth successive European election.
"He's top of the unionists, top of Ulster and top of the world," shouted one supporter.
It did not always look that way yesterday. Two hours into counting, Dr Paisley and Mr Hume were neck-in-neck and then Mr Hume edged ahead. By lunchtime, he was 15,000 votes in front.
The SDLP's bright young things paced up and down in their smart suits. Mr Hume arrived, sporting a red rose in his lapel. "We're all set for victory," said a press officer. There were handshakes all around.
And then slowly it started to change. Dr Paisley was only 6,000 behind, then 5,000 and then they were back to neck-in-neck. "Never write off the Big Man," warned DUP secretary Mr Nigel Dodds.
PUP members could not hide their glee at the poor performance of UK Unionist Mr Bob McCartney, the only candidate yet to arrive at the count centre. He had vowed to "blast" their man, Mr David Ervine, yet Mr Ervine was ahead.
As every car pulled up at the King's Hall, those on the PUP team stretched their necks to see if it was Mr McCartney. "We've a few things to put him right on," one said.
Sinn Fein might now be on the constitutional path in politics yet in other areas it is a different matter. One councillor enjoyed a cigarette in the no-smoking tea room. "We don't care about rules and regulations," joked his friend.
Alliance candidate Mr Sean Neeson was oblivious to the banter and wandered around like a lost soul. Alliance was having a dreadful day. The only candidate he was out-polling was the one from the Natural Law Party.
At 4.30 p.m. the first count was over. The smiles had fallen off SDLP faces and it was a despondent group which Mr Hume led into the declaration room. Dr Paisley had triumphed by over 2,000 votes.
Sinn Fein did not look too happy either. They held their vote but had believed they would out-poll the UUP, with their candidate, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, taking the third seat. That did not happen.
There were weak cheers when the returning officer declared the results for Sinn Fein and the SDLP. "We'll show them how it's done," said a Paisley activist and dozens of DUP members rose, yelling and clapping, when their leader's vote was announced.
Dr Paisley mounted the podium. There had been attempts to stop him singing, he said, "but neither the IRA/Sinn Fein nor the SDLP will shut my mouth" and he launched into a hymn.
He took no prisoners in his victory speech. He accused the press of anti-DUP bias. Journalists had written his political obituary but "I will be around for a very long time", he thundered. He told Mr Blair that a clear majority of unionists were now anti-agreement and he challenged him to hold another referendum.
"You might budge Mr Trimble but you will not budge the 192,762 people who voted for me. You can bully the Ulster people. You can get a leader who will kowtow to the IRA. You can get men who, for the glory of office, will do the dirty on their province. But there is a majority of unionist people who will not bow or bend in their attitude to this country."
His supporters rose to their feet. "Paisley is our leader, we shall not be moved," they sang.
"Alex Ferguson got a knighthood for doing the treble in football. Will Dr Paisley get one for five-in-a-row in Europe?" asked one jubilant supporter.
"I don't think so," said another. "The Doc's great but even he can't work miracles."