Andy Kruspe

Andy Kruspe is a freelance percussion instructor and bodhrán player from Huntsville, AL. He has performed with several groups throughout the southeastern United States, including Black Market Haggis, Mithril, Candace Corrigan, the Liminal Duo and 2nd Breakfast, Milltowne, the Ricky J. Taylor Combo, and The Cold Turkeys. Andy is also active as a bodhrán teacher and clinician. He has taught workshops and clinics in the United States and Ireland, including the O’Flaherty’s Irish Music Retreat, the Fiddle and Pick Irish Music Weekend), Craiceann (Inis Oírr, Ireland), and Búla Buzz’s Bodhrán Buzz (online from Portlaoise, Ireland). Andy has written four method books for the drum – “First Steps: A Beginner’s Guide to the Bodhrán,” “The Bodhrán Primer,” Playing the Tune: Techniques for Accompanying Irish Traditional Music on the Bodhrán,” and “In Session + One” (with Scottish bodhrán player Martin O’Neill).

Jesse McDonald

Steeped in History: Scotland’s Influence on Tea in the West
Discover the fascinating journey of tea from the fields of Asia to teacups in the West! We will explore the basics of the tea plant and its benefits, the crucial role Scots played in bringing tea to the West, and how this beloved beverage influenced American history. From highland merchants to revolutionary tea parties, learn how a simple leaf became a complicated symbol of culture, trade, and tradition across continents.

Jesse McDonald was first introduced to tea on a ubiquitously rainy day in London in 2005. Little did she know that this was the beginning of a love affair with tea that would be with her as she served in the United States Navy, traveled to over 20 countries, and pursued her Tea Sommelier certification.

Haggis Macleod

Let Haggis Macleod regale you with his enchanted Celtic stories. Haggis Macleod is the stage name for Jay McClure. He has performed as a storyteller for over 23 years including with the Brevard (FL) Theatrical Ensemble telling a wide variety of stories. He is a member of the Clan Macleod society and specializes in Celtic stories. He was given permission to wear pheasant feathers as a clan baird by the past Chief Macleod of Macleod. He is currently a storyteller with Ghost Walk of Gatlinburg.

George Lane

A proud east Tennessean, Lane will share stories of how the Scots-Irish came to the Great Smoky Mountains based on his own Scots-Irish ancestry. With over 50 revolutionary soldiers among them, Lane’s ancestors settled in this area before Tennessee was a state. Many of them were Ulster Scots and descended from the Picts. They arrived in Pennsylvania, followed the “Great Wagon Road,” drifted into the Valley of Virginia before arriving in East Tennessee. The one constant of his ancestors was a Presbyterian heritage, including ministers, teachers, and pioneers. After graduating from Everett High, lane obtained a Masters in Economics from UT. In semi-retirement, he gives programs on local history, genealogy, and is active in the Sons of the American Revolution.