They came from all corners to hear the distinctive rallying cry of their leader. The DUP faithful flocked to the Ramada Hotel in south Belfast yesterday for the launch of the party's 2003 assembly election campaign.
With a flourish of classical music and to rapturous applause, party leader Ian Paisley made his way to the makeshift stage alongside his deputy Peter Robinson.
The 77-year-old DUP leader looked more frail than at any time in his epic political career which has now spanned five decades.
However, as ever the cheers of the assembled crowd seemed to add height to his stature and breadth to his shoulders.
The Free Presbyterian minister's famous rhetoric is undiminished by the passage of the years and he spared no metaphor as he urged party loyalists to prepare for November 26 .
He described the election date as "the day when the false and lying stewards will be called upon to give account of their unfaithful stewardship".
Mocking the words of Tony Blair when he flew into the north in 1998 to salvage the Good Friday Agreement he turned his ire on the British Prime Minister and UUP leader David Trimble.
"At long last and against the wishes of Mr Blair and David Trimble, we are going to have the assembly elections," he said.
"The hand of history evidently has removed itself from the shoulder of Prime Minister Blair to his throat and choking back his own deceit and that of Trimble, both have been forced to bow to the mysterious sovereignty of divine providence."
Mr Paisley continued: "The Prime Minister is loud in the praise of those who destroy lives but he is mute in the praise of those who gave their lives to defend life.
"Shame! Undying shame is upon him and his ilk.
"In the strange exposure at Hillsborough, the hidden things of darkness from the nether basement of 10 Downing Street have come to light. There must be no more concealment."
Peter Robinson took to the stage after his party leader's speech to tell candidates and assembled media that the DUP "are the only party that has a realistic chance of having candidates elected in every constituency in Northern Ireland".
And he predicted that the party will "win the argument about future talks" and "lead Northern Ireland onto firm ground".
