Danny Cosgrove Turns 91

With a twinkle in his eye and a nod to the past, Danny Cosgrove, the Boss of Branford, celebrated his 91st birthday this week.

Surrounded by family, friends, politicians, clergy and others, he was feted with song (“Danny Boy,” of course) and with his favorite poem — Lord Byron’s ​“Epitaph to a Dog.” There was dinner for more than 50 people and a chocolate birthday cake. The event was held at the Connecticut Hospice, the first in the nation and a place he helped create in the early 1970s. He still serves as a member of the board and is its great benefactor.

What is the secret of your longevity? the Eagle asked. ​“Clean living,” he replied, grinning.

“Don’t believe that,” he added. We told him we didn’t.

“I’m not used to having people say nice things about me,” he told the crowd after accolades were bestowed .“They usually are cursing me or writing me up in newspapers.” But gazing out at the room of relative newcomers, he observed: ​“There is a new crowd around now and they don’t know who I am. Thank you very much for coming here. It is very nice to be remembered when you have had a life like mine and made as many enemies as I have.

“To think that there would be an occasion where I’m 91 years old and a group of nice people would show up and sing nice songs for me is amazing.”

Folks laughed. But there are those around who still remember him as the Boss of Branford and have not forgotten how he treated them when they tried to stop his truck stop from being built at Exit 56. He had his lawyers attach their property for years. He had their kids’ savings accounts attached. He kept them in court. There was a lot of ill will. For Cosgrove it was just business.

But that was then. Now there were reminiscences. Joe Fitzgerald, 90, his friend (at left) from Branford High School (class of ​’35) told a story about how he saved money for college by raising turkeys and selling them to individuals, schools and restaurants. One day he needed help getting the last 30 turkeys rounded up so he get them to a Bridgeport market.

“I turned to Dan Cosgrove. On a given day we were to load the turkeys into crates and truck them to Bridgeport. The turkeys were loose in an enclosed wire pen. Now if you ever tried to catch a turkey you know they are pretty maneuverable. But Dan was not to be outmaneuvered by a turkey. Feathers and dust flew into the air, and Dan was in the middle of it.”

“This is where he learned his fancy footwork,” he said of his friend who was to become a well-known boxer. Eventually Cosgrove corralled the turkeys.

He was joined by old friend Rhoda Loeb, who called him an early backer of women’s rights. There was Tom Romano of Orchard House, the adult day care center up the Short Beach road, who praised him for his good work and vast knowledge. ​“He has been an independent thinker, a fair businessman and a generous person,” Romano said.

State Sen. Ed Meyer (left) recalled his first meeting with Cosgrove. ​“You said I doubt that I will agree with you on anything, but I will work to support you, and you did.”

“I don’t think I have very much to tell you about politics,” Cosgrove quipped. ​“I could never get elected to anything.”

​“You ran it, though,” Meyer said, referring to his power behind the scenes for decades.“That I did,” replied Cosgrove with a smile.

State Rep. Pat Widlitz (at left) recalled that about 15 years ago she wanted to run in the 98th district, which includes Guilford and a few sections of Branford. ​“I went to the Branford Democratic Town Committee to ask for their endorsement. There was the Taxpayers Party [which Cosgrove founded] and the Democrats and it was kind of a tense time in Branford.

​“I had heard of Danny. I was scared to death of Danny. I said to myself, what will he say to me? I made my pitch. Danny and the guys are in the back row of the hall, cigar hanging out of his mouth, chair tipped back, like hmmm. Danny didn’t say anything. Now he didn’t support me. But he didn’t oppose me. And that was a gift.” The crowd laughed.

Widlitz ran. She won. ​“Danny said to me, ​‘I guess you are probably going to win as long as you want to run .So I guess that’s OK.’ And I consider that the highest praise I have ever had. He is really a pussycat. I didn’t recognize the guy whom everybody said was rough and tough and fearsome.”

“And had horns,” Cosgrove piped up.

No, no said the crowd.

There was praise from former State Sen. Bruce Morris and his wife, former First Selectwoman Cheryl Morris. Peter Panaroni, the outgoing state representative, spoke of what he learned at Cosgrove’s table. Larry DeNardis, former U.S. Congressman, praised the Cosgrove intellect.

Then they cut the chocolate cake and sang a rousing ​“Happy Birthday.” For a moment there Dan Cosgrove looked serene. ###