A papal visit to the North and a new dissident IRA terror gang emerging – two predictions my crystal ball tells me will happen this year.
Pope Benedict has scored mega brownie points with hardline Protestant fundamentalists by condemning homosexuality.
In a single speech, he became the most popular pontiff among Northern Protestants since Alexander in 1690, who ordered a special Te Deum celebration to mark Orange champion King Billy's victory at the Boyne.
In other developments, dissident republican unease with Sinn Féin's policing policy will see the formation of a new, politically driven IRA terror gang.
The Real IRA is tainted by Omagh, while Continuity IRA and the INLA are just common criminals, gangsters and drug pushers.
In June's European poll, the UUP's Jim Nicholson and the Shinners' Babs de Brun will hold their seats, but DUP deputy boss Nigel Dodds will snatch back wee Jimmy Allister's Traditional Unionist Voice seat.
The SDLP's failure to win back John Hume's old European seat from Sinn Féin will spark a leadership coup against Mark Durkan.
Ironically, this will leave Euro runner Alban Maginness in the driving seat with a merger with Brian Cowen's Fianna Fail a dead cert.
Sinn Féin will also lose October's expected second Southern referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, paving the way for Gerry Adams to announce he is stepping down as Shinner President.
Dublin MEP Mary Lou McDonald will emerge as the party's hot favourite, closely followed by Stormont education chief Caitriona Ruane – alleged to be the IRA Army Council's preferred choice.
Coup will be 2009's choice word. Expect Alliance's David Ford and the DUP's Peter Robinson to face unrest in their respective camps.
MLAs Naomi Long from East Belfast and North Antrim's Ian Paisley Junior will edge to the fore as future successors.
Naomi is a strong bet for the new Minister for Coppers, while Ian Junior is hot tip to step into his da's Commons shoes when Prime Minister Gordon Brown calls a snap UK election later this year.
Despite the Brown Bounce to combat the credit crunch, the election move will misfire for the Labour chief.
With the drift in support back to the UUP, expect DUP MPs David Simpson, Willie McCrea and Sammy Wilson to lose out.
And stand by for an announcement Shinner MPs will dump abstentionism and celebrate the 90th anniversary of Dial Eireann by taking their Westminster seats.
As for the loyalist terror arsenals, the credit crunch will soon persuade them of the wisdom of a 'dumps before dosh' policy.
Expect the TUV to cause major political migraines for the Robbo camp, ensuring nationalists retain South Belfast and Fermanagh South Tyrone.
Remember, you read it first in the Fearless Flying Column. Don't say you haven't been warned.
