Last night's renewed rioting in Northern Ireland, on what is the biggest day in the Protestant calendar, brought a new urgency to the political talks which resume today at an English country house.
Five police officers were injured as they attempted to withstand a barrage of attacks from around 200 nationalists in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast.
More than 100,000 Orangemen and women, and thousands of band members marched commemorating the Battle of the Boyne.
Talks at Weston Park, on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border, have so far failed to produce a breakthrough but Tony Blair is insistent the parties can crack the decommissioning, demilitarisation and policing disputes stalling the Good Friday agreement.
However, from the loyalist heartlands of Portadown, Co Armagh, where 21 RUC men and nine civilians were injured in a bomb attack at a bonfire celebration on Wednesday, to Edenderry, destination of the main Belfast parade yesterday, unionist disillusionment with the peace process was as ubiquitous as the union jack flags and orange lilies.
Two parties linked to loyalist paramilitary groups, the Progressive Unionists, which represents the Ulster Volunteer Force, and the Ulster Democratic party, which speaks for the Ulster Defence Association/Ulster Freedom Fighters, have already pulled out of the talks, saying they see no sign the IRA is prepared to disarm.
Around the province, Orangemen denounced the discussions.
In Benburb, Co Tyrone, Orange grand master Robert Saulters, called on Ulster Unionists to walk away and demand a proper democratic government for Northern Ireland.
And in Derriaghy, Co Antrim, Lagan Valley MP, Jeffrey Donaldson, a delegate at the talks, said they had been a "complete waste of time" so far and he was only returning to ensure the government did not make more concessions to republicans.
Many Protestants were always lukewarm about the peace accord, in contrast to Catholic enthusiasm for it.
But three years on, with significant changes to the RUC, amnesty to IRA prisoners on the run, the barring of certain Orange parades, surging support for Sinn Fein, and no paramilitary disarmament, what little confidence unionists had is ebbing fast.
"It's a one way street of concessions to republicans," said one north Belfast Orangeman at Edenderry. "Tony Blair promised those linked to terrorists would not be in government but they are. He just wants to keep IRA bombs out of London.
"We need proper policing and Sinn Fein are trying to do away with that. I don't see letting loyalist prisoners out of jail as a concession. I didn't want any terrorists out and I want all of them to decommission.
"I accept that Sinn Fein has a mandate and they can be in government if the IRA destroy their guns, but they have broken their promises. And if Sinn Fein can't speak for the IRA, then who does?"
Security was tight yesterday, and Catholic streets were deserted, but thousands of families lined the main parade routes.
"I remember many years ago when Catholics watched the 12th and I would love to see both religions respect each other's traditions without this need to stop people walking the Queen's highway," said Belfast lord mayor, Ulster Unionist Jim Rodgers.
Short protests against march bans on Belfast's Ormeau Bridge and in Derry city centre passed off peacefully, but nationalists threw petrol bombs at police in the Waterside area of Derry.
Neither the UVF nor UFF have given any indication they are about to break their ceasefires, although the RUC believes some UFF members have been involved in recent attacks on Catholics and there are fears loyalist tensions will spill over.
"If Tony Blair doesn't listen to ordinary democratic Protestants then hardline loyalists could go back to violence," said a bandsman at Edenderry.
A man, 26, was being treated for gunshot wounds last night after what appeared to be a paramilitary-style attack in Belfast. He was taken to hospital after being shot in both legs. The RUC said the shooting was believed to have taken place in the loyalist Mountvernon Gardens in the north of the city.
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Audio report
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Useful linksUlster Democratic party
Northern Ireland Office
Last International Commission on Decommissioning report
Northern Ireland assembly
Text of the Good Friday agreement