Cormac MacConnell: Saints on a shelf tell of changing times

On the brink of the month of the Holy Souls, it is with saints and sinners we are dealing today and, sadly too, our deeply ingrained racism and misogyny and sheer sinful roguery.

The truth is painful, but sure that is what ye always get large doses of here, so just take it on the chin.

This was triggered by a visit to a devout Galway home during the week, and the presence on the living room shelf of that ritual small army of statues of saints, which once used protect about every home, and still stand guard over many.