Thomas MacMillan Photo
Brian McGrath, at Porky’s on Grand Avenue, 2012.
Brian McGrath, a leading civic voice in New Haven for over 40 years with a permanent glint in his eye that reflected a love for mixing it up with political friend and foe alike, has died at the age of 73 after a years-long bout with cancer.
McGrath died late Thursday night at home, peacefully, with his daughter Christina and son Brian Seto present, according to his son Sam.
“That’s what he wanted,” Sam said. “He wanted to be home.”
The most recent generation of people involved in New Haven public life knew McGrath as the hard-working executive director of the Chapel West Special Services District, where he advocated for local businesses and neighborhood renewal. In that job, he was the force behind those biographical posters of notable New Haveners like Meryl Streep, Dr. Spock, and Norman Lear hanging througout the Dwight and Upper Chapel area. He also served on the city’s Redevelopment Commission, in which capacity he worked with Dwight neighbors to craft a redevelopment plan that drew on lessons from the past.
These were later acts in a lifetime of public service. Following in the footsteps of his father, McGrath worked a full career in New Haven city government. His jobs included running the traffic and parking department and overseeing economic development projects. Always outspoken, salty, with a twinkle in his eye, he loved to shock people with strong opinions — and then continue engaging with them. New Haven was his home team, and he was one of its most ardent boosters. Politics, government, and community ran through his veins.
He also worked hard on political campaigns for Democratic candidates.
It’s fair to say there was no more enjoyable, provocative, and colorful person to report on in New Haven. Or a city official who more enjoyed giving parking tickets to reporters. (Or at least admitted to enjoying it.) Every day that involved an encounter with Brian McGrath felt like a day lived in full.
“With Brian there was so much energy and curiosity. He noticed everything. Always a story, and people he was loyal to whether they were in favor or not,” recalled State Rep. Pat Dillon, a friend and political colleague for over 40 years. “He remembered everything and he’d tell you about it. I’ll miss him so much.”
Politics, Languages & Stamps
Markeshia Ricks Photo
McGrath testifying before the Board of Alders in 2017.
Brian McGrath was born Sept. 21, 1946, to William and Joyce McGrath. William served as director of traffic and parking for the City of New Haven. Brian was the eldest of 11 children, including David, Vincent, Mary, Kevin, Rita, Beverly, Nora, and Margaret, all of whom survive him; and Raymond and Harold, who predeceased him.
Brian’s curiosity spanned far and wide. Besides his passion for government and for political campaigns, he collected stamps. In fact, until his hospitalization, he served as president of the New Haven Philatelic Society, according to his son Sam. ““He went faithfully [to the meetings] every Tuesday night for 40 years.”
He loved playing pool. And he had a facility for learning languages. He spoke and could read German, French, Italian, Spanish, “and a little bit of Russian,” Sam said. Brian was taking classes in Arabic toward the end of his life; he traveled to Israel to practice speaking it.
In New Haven, he was known most of all for his omnipresence at political gatherings, in Democratic political campaigns, and in government deliberations over transit and economic development issues.
Click on the video to watch him speak at length about the conclusions he had drawn after decades in that mix, in a 2019 interview on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program.
He registered countless voters. Sam recalled his father “taking me out canvassing as far back as I could remember, until I was a senior in high school.”
State Sen. Martin Looney, who worked with McGrath on countless campaigns since 1975, recalled him as a master vote-puller. He recalled one election when the pair sought voters at the Farnam Courts housing complex. McGrath “would walk up and bang on the door and say, ‘Open up. It’s the Democrats!’” And bring more voters to the polls.
“Brian was one of a kind and was always an interesting person to work with. He truly loved the city, and you can say he definitely did it his way,” recalled former Board of Alders President Jorge Perez, who currently serves as state banking commissioner.
Besides his brothers and sisters and his sons Sam and Brian and daughter Christina, McGrath is survived by daughters-in law Jamie McGrath and Brenda Iasevoli; son-in-law Ethan Schoenherr; and granddaughter Natalie McGrath.
The family plans to hold a public memorial gathering for Brian McGrath some time in the summer.
"Always outspoken, salty, with a twinkle in his eye, he loved to shock people with strong opinions — and then continue engaging with them."
This is what I liked and respected about Brian. Agree, disagree, sometimes disagree vehemently, but he was able a unique "politician" and public servant that after a heated debate, one could go and have a beer at Rudy's w/ the guy. This is missing from today's discourse where one is from the red team or blue team and won't engage w/ one another. Sure, Brian could twist arms,offend, and raise an eyebrow (or two!), but he got stuff done.
And w/ many old-timers, it is easy to get bored w/ stories of yore, but Brian always told one that made you rip and roar. He contributed a lot and I will miss his gruff and gregarious rants. Brian liked to shock people, but I think unlike some in much higher office he often had a purpose behind it that may have been well intentioned in his view.
Every time I see a thunderstorm over Chapel West and then a rainbow after, I will think of Brian looking down and laughing.
(Nice piece Paul - I think the sentiment was spot on and Brian was hard to pin down. Thanks.)