It had taken a long time to get there but they finally made it. The happy, the worried, and the downright hostile gathered for the first meeting of the Northern Assembly yesterday.
The "Shinners" arrived in style, as they always do, with Mr Adams waxing lyrical about the challenges of the new millennium. David Trimble - with the more immediate issue on his mind of securing enough votes to be First Minister - was appropriately subdued.
John Hume announced he wasn't running for the deputy position. Seamus Mallon would be the SDLP candidate. "It's about time poor old Seamus got something," muttered a journalist.
The DUP marched into Stormont "just like we're going to march in Drumcree," the Rev Ian Paisley pledged. He sported a designer tie of Union Jack hearts. "As John Hume said, you can't eat a flag and you can't eat a tie either," said an unimpressed pro-agreement unionist.
The DUP's best-known bohemian, Sammy Wilson, arrived on his motorbike. "I left the helmet outside. Maybe I should have brought it with me for protection," he joked.
Lord Alderdice, who resigned as Alliance leader only to be appointed acting Assembly Speaker a few hours later, earned the scorn of a disgusted Shinner. "He'd never make a republican," said the man who thought the good Lord Alderdice wasn't up to scratch on self-sacrifice.
Lord Alderdice conducted proceedings admirably but caused concern by barring not only pagers and mobile phones from the chamber, but also large bags and suitcases. Surely he didn't think any of new members would be up to their old tricks?
Outside, Martin McGuinness and Ken Maginnis battled it out in an RTE interview. The UUP man said everyone knew Mr McGuinness had been in the IRA. "Don't bully me Ken," Martin said, "you're not in your UDR uniform now".
There was worse in store for Sammy Wilson. Attacking Mr Trimble's position on decommissioning, Mr Wilson had said he wouldn't call the UUP leader a liar but if he was Pinochio "you could poke me with your nose from where you're sitting".
Mr McGuinness expressed delight at being under the same roof as the DUP and in particular seeing Sammy "this time with his clothes on". Two years ago, a Sunday newspaper published nude holiday photos of the DUP man. Mr Wilson was effectively silenced.
Sinn Fein members raised the DUP's ire by speaking in Irish earlier. The DUP retaliated when it came to the vote on the First and Deputy First Ministers, asking if they could use the Ulster-Scots version of No. "Is there an Ulster-Scots word for Yes?" asked Mr Adams. Surprisingly, there was and 30 unionist members used it.