On a nice spring afternoon in late March, HEARTS brought everyone to a new place at the historic Sharpe House in Statesville for HEARTS Irish Connection ‘26. The community gathered for a celebration of Irish heritage , local history, and a connection based around connection. The Celtic Sessions, who delivered the sounds of traditional Irish music alongside Celtic-inspired tunes, played as guests gathered to find their seats.

HEARTS Hosts Randoplh Lewis and Abigail Jennings shared how this HEARTS gathering is focused on “E” in HEARTS which stands for Ecology. Of which is later told about during our Eco-minutes with Abigail Jennings and Aaron Kampe. This marked a special occasion, as it was the first HEARTS event hosted at the Sharp House, a beautiful historic site newly affiliated with them.

The afternoon opened up with the engaging Celtic Sessions featuring artists Julian Charles on vocals, guitar, and harmonica; R.G. Absher on guitar, fiddle, banjo, and hammered dulcimer; and Naomi Orr, whose mastery of the silver flute, Irish flute, penny whistle, and Celtic harp added richness to the performance. Julian invited the audience into the music, starting with a mesmerizing rendition of The Chanter’s Tune, which showcased the group’s multi-instrumental talents and storytelling approach.

Following the music, HEARTS’ Eco Minute presented by Abigail Jennings and Aaron Kampe highlighted on local flora. Guests got to learn about the shamrock and its North American counterpart, white clover. Aaron explained, “As you might guess, it came from Ireland and the rest of the European subcontinent… The early colonists brought it over for a number of different reasons, soil stabilization, livestock feed, and as a good pollinator source for the honeybees they introduced.” Abigail added a seasonal reminder, smiling, “Do not be fooled. The shamrocks in your lawn are white clover. What they sell in the grocery store is oxalis, it is not a shamrock.

After our first Eco Minute of the afternoon, actor, historian and HEARTS beloved Micheal Connor shared his personal Irish ancestry and explored Irish heritage within African American genealogy. “One out of four Americans has Irish ancestry,” he noted, highlighting cross-cultural interactions in music and dance. Connor traced the influences of Irish club dancing and African juba rhythms on tap dance, remarking, “Today’s most American form of dance, tap, is a result of the intersection between freed slaves with juba and Irish indentured servants with clogging.” He concluded with a smile, “If you check your DNA, you may find that you have some Irish in you as well.”

Music returned with Celtic Sessions performing I’m Going Home to the Mountain and The Fields of Athenry, capturing themes of immigration, hardship, and resilience. One of the band member R.G. shared a some history behind one of the songs, saying that ““This tune is important today because back in the era then immigrants were welcomed on the shores of America… It’s a song about acceptance. It’s a song about America being such a beautiful mix of culture and different people.”

Next up HEARTS welcomed to the stage, The Connick School of Irish Dance who brought the energy of Irish movement to the stage. Founded in 1994 by Sandra Connick, the school is known for its exceptional training and vibrant community. Amelia, representing the school, led the audience through performances of Sweets of May (Evenas de Beltane), Treble Reel, and intricate two-hand dances. She explained that, “Normally your reel (also known as dance) is danced in soft shoes… these are their hard shoes… The fun part about these treble reels is you’ll see them dancing all together. When you see them go one at a time, those are their solo steps. They have complete creative freedom with their solo steps.” Audience members even get to participate in going with the beat and clapped along , creating a lively interactive moment.

Before intermission, Randolph acknowledged sponsors, volunteers, and staff. Special thanks were given to Keith Rhyne of the Sharp House, who announced upcoming events, including the annual Easter Tea and Egg Hunt and the Mother’s Day Tea on May 2nd. Guests were reminded to visit the refreshment table for artisan treats and a pound cake giveaway, which went to Linda Stewart, whose guess of 379 coins came closest to the actual 385.

Following intermission, The Connick School returned with additional performances, while HEARTS’ second Eco Minute highlighted the red mulberry (Morus rubra) and the legacy of silk cultivation in the region. Aaron kampe and Abigail Jennings shared identification tips and emphasized the ecological importance of planting native species. “Plant more of them,” Aaron encouraged, “to help restore ecological balance for future generations.”

Next, the audience turned their attention to HEARTS keynote speaker delivered by historian Dr. Hugh Dussek, a colonial history specialist affiliated with the Charlotte Museum of History. Introduced humorously as “the man who puts the Tory in history,” Dussek explored Scots-Irish migration and the legacy of the Sharpe family in the Carolina backcountry. He placed early North Carolina in a broader global context, noting it was a “very multi-ethnic world” with Native Americans, English settlers, Highland Scots, Germans, African Americans, both free and enslaved, and Scots-Irish migrants shaping the region.

Dr. Dussek then traced the story of William “Billy” Sharpe, who was a lawyer, land speculator, and civic leader involved in Fourth Creek Presbyterian Church and regional governance. He also highlighted the Sharpe family’s role in the Revolutionary era, noting the importance of backcountry battles such as King’s Mountain and Guilford Courthouse. “At Guilford Courthouse, we actually won the battle,” he remarked, “but another such victory would have ruined the British army.”

Dr. Dussek concluded his keynote by following the family into the 19th century, when Silas Alexander Sharpe completed the home that is now the Historic Sharpe House and later became Statesville’s first mayor. Reflecting on the broader story, he observed, “The Scots-Irish sort of disappear into the fabric of America, they become America.”

To conclude the evening, the Celtic Sessions returned to the stage, featuring historic instruments including a Sharp family banjo from the 1880s. They performed Pig in the Pen, Flowers of Edinburgh, Temperance Reel, and Venmo Rises, blending music and storytelling while sharing anecdotes from regional historical reenactments. Naomi Orr accompanied on tin whistle and baron drum, rounding out lively sets that showcased centuries of folk tradition. Their final performance of Wild Mountain Thyme to close out this year’s HEARTS Irish Connection ‘26: A Sharpe Focus. Watch their performance below!