Jane Shortall
Jane Shortall was born in Ireland. She had various careers, including the Aerospace business and the Equestrian Federation of Ireland. Horse riding was a passionate hobby.
She loves travelling, her roots are in Europe but she’s happy in the Hamptons or the wilds of Mongolia, where she has ridden with the Nomads on the Steppe.
Jane lived in France for many years, first in the southern mountains, then on the Riviera. Now, in a small fishing town on Portugal’s Algarve, another chapter begins. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, she writes with renewed passion.
She can be reached by email.
Jane's Shortall's Amazing Return to London ... ‘Putting the Luxe in Luxury’
Lucky I had booked a long stay in London in September 2019, given how the world changed in early 2020. One the greatest cities on earth, it has held my heart for almost fifty years ... The flat I rented near the Tower of London, was just around the corner from the Minories, a famous pub that welcomes a diverse group of people. Waiting on the bus to Trafalgar Square, a vision, well over six foot tall and built like a lumberjack, with a head of red curly hair flying in the wind, came marching towards me. A whirl of colour passed me by in a wild apple green frilly dress, white platform boots, a red handbag festooned with silver and gold objects, held in a big hand, and bright blue eyelids, many pairs of eyelashes and scarlet lips like the late comedian, Joan Rivers. Like London itself, I love the Tower. Entering the gate I get a sort of frisson, and this time was no different. On a private visit, in a part of the Tower closed to the public, as dusk fell I saw the Raven Master settling the birds in for the night. more »
Memories of Seventies Dublin: As the Decade Moved On, the City Changed and We Were Changing With It; Not All Changes Were Welcome
Jane Shortall writes: A Dubliner, a girl in her twenties, envies me for living in that city through the seventies. She and many of her friends do not snigger at those years described as ‘the decade that style forgot.’ They love how things were back then, citing everything from our apparent carefree life, lots of jobs, not so many crazy rules, many different styles of clothing and, in their words, totally brilliant music. ‘Tell me, what music from today will we be listening to in forty years’ time?’ she asked. Yes, I did see lots of bands in Dublin back then. From Led Zeppelin to Horslips, they came to Dublin and belted out their hits. more »
Keep On Stepping: The Peculiar State of Widowhood's Challenge
Jane Shortall writes: Pulling on a woolly hat, scarf, gloves, heavy jeans, rubber boots and a waxed jacket, on that wild morning, I went out and walked the legendary Bull Wall in Clontarf, a long, long seafront walk, loved by the citizens of Dublin for hundreds of years. This is the area where the High King of Ireland, Brian Boru, was slain in a battle against the Danes in 1014. On that particular morning, I felt I was battling too. more »
The Last Part of Our Journey Together
Jane Shortall writes: Into our life, onto our stage, they marched, the good, the not so good, and the downright peculiar. Despite the circumstances, the horrific illness, the very reason we were here, at times, both of us felt we were in some daft comedy, the characters created by Woody Allen. It had always been obvious to me, with no need for deep thinking, that we would have been so much better off, for every reason imaginable, staying in France.
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