“Put that in your pipe” is a heartfelt oil and cold wax painting that beautifully captures an elderly woman wrapped in a shawl smoking a clay pipe. The clay pipes or “Dúidíns” as they were known in Ireland  played an important role in Irish everyday life and custom, especially regarding wakes and funerals in the rural communities of Ireland. They were often associated with storytellers who would keep an attentive crowd in suspense in the midst of a story while having a smoke from his dúidín. Clay pipes were also particularly prominent at wakes. As soon as a person died, relatives or friends would buy a number of items for the funeral ceremony and these typically included a half barrel of porter, a gallon of whiskey, snuff, tobacco, and of course clay pipes. It may seem strange now, but the clay pipe was one of the most important parts of any wake and was considered improper to be without them. This piece is part of my "Old Ireland" collection.