Gentle giant Mischa leaves massive mark on Kilcullen

THERE was much sadness across the Kilcullen community at the unanticipated death of Mischa Fekete just after Christmas, at the age of 55.

A German national, he came to Kilcullen in 1992 to establish with colleagues from the original local Dunshane Camphill Community a similar one in a field by the River Liffey.

Two decades later the former Nugent's Field had houses for the co-workers and those they cared for. It also had a weaver, a community hall, an organic produce store, a coffee shop and resource centre. And lots of small farm animals — chickens, geese, pigs, turkeys, all part of an almost self-sufficient operation that become an important part of the heart of Kilcullen.

"We had a sort of vision that we'd like to do something in the town, interacting with the general public and becoming part of the wider community," Mischa said in a local interview in 2011.

"There was also the thought that with a small, less policy driven project, we could pioneer something, and that was very exciting."

Exciting, sometimes scary, and ultimately successful with the help of co-worker volunteers from many lands, and lots of well-wishers and practical assistance from across Kilcullen. By 2011, the Bridge Community was building a nature trail for the people of the town to enjoy, in appreciation of the support that had been given.

In 2013, the Bridge Community celebrated their 21st anniversary with an event bringing back former co-workers from Israel, Germany, Spain, and other European countries. At the time Mischa reckoned some 400 volunteers had come through the Bridge down those 21 years.

As part of his leadership role in Bridge Camphill, Mischa promoted the community's involvement in the Patrick's Day parades of 2013 and 2014, where their St Patrick and the Snake was a popular component and won the Best Float Award in 2013.

The community celebrated their 25th anniversary in August 2017, and as director he again thanked the people of Kilcullen for welcoming the group all those years before.

Two years before that, a presentation to Mischa of a Kilcullen Community Award had recognised him for making a huge contribution to Kilcullen.

Apart from his Camphill work, which had helped break down barriers between those with special needs and the other residents of Kilcullen, Mischa had been involved with many other aspects of the town and was “a man of many talents and always willing to share those talents”, as the community award citation noted.

Those talents were shared particularly in terms of his love of music and theatre. In 1997 he was the set designer for a youth drama group presentation of Guys and Dolls, turning the Kilcullen town hall stage into New York's underworld. He also produced and supported many artistic and cultural activities of residents and day service users in the Bridge Community.

Mischa's involvement with Kilcullen Drama Group included directing many productions, among them A Christmas Carol (2005), the Christmas Cracker entertainment show (2008), Theft (2009), a December Variety Concert (2010) co-directed with the late Bernard Berney, Les Miserables (2012) — perhaps his crowning achievement managing more than 30 people on the stage, The Plough and the Stars (2017), and The Seafarer (2019), co-directed with Eilis Philips.

He had also designed and led the building of the set for Dancing at Lughnasa in 2011. He designed the posters for the various productions as well as working lighting and sound when he wasn't directing.

Mischa's participation in Kilcullen life also included membership of Kilcullen Community Action, for which he served as treasurer in the mid-naughties.

He was an active member of the Steering Group developing the Kilcullen participation in the national Gathering 2013 initiative.

But most of all he was a loving family man to his partner Gese, and daughters Emer and Tara.

And, as comments from very many Kilcullen people on the sad news of his passing indicated, he was regarded as a kind and gentle giant in the town. Never a man to be concerned with legacy, he nevertheless has left a massive mark on the whole community.

Mischa was laid to rest in St Brigid's Cemetery in Kilcullen on Friday last after a funeral service in the Bridge Camphill Community.