Stick one's spoon in the wall

Posted by ESC on July 30, 2003

In Reply to: Stick one's spoon in the wall posted by A Pace on July 30, 2003

: I have no idea of the origin of this phrase but my Irish born in-law's use it to mean died. As in: He has stuck his spoon in the wall. It is a source of merriment to us all in sad times.

I've never heard that one. (I'm in the U.S.) I wonder what it means. Maybe a custom -- someone dies and his/her spoon is "retired"?

Under "death" in the archives there is a discussion of expressions meaning death.