American tourist assaulted in Dublin wants to buy a house in Co Mayo

Stephen Termini, the American tourist who was seriously assaulted in Dublin in July, says to buy a house in Westport, Co Mayo, where his great-grandmother Anne Donnelly was from.

“I tell you, all that money that the people donated, I would use that to buy a house here,” Termini told the Mayo News while he was in Westport this week.

The New Yorker was referring to $133,516 that was raised via the GoFundMe page launched by his son Mike Rizzuto after the brutal attack. (The GoFundMe is no longer accepting donations.) 

Termini told the Mayo News he wouldn't mind a fixer-upper in Westport, a place with a "little land where I can grow my own vegetables and give leftovers to people and be able to be close to the water to get my fish, because I don’t eat meat anymore, or chicken or any of that; fresh fruits and vegetables and seafood."

Termini said he'd like a "little place" that's not attached to another property, "because I wouldn’t want to disturb them playing bass and drums and 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning."

“So yeah, it feels like the place," he said. "It’s not Dublin, definitely not Dublin.

“I’m just feeling the desire to be here. Even once I got back to the States, the next chance I come to get out of here I’m coming here [to Mayo].

"I’m not even wasting my time in Dublin."

Termini, 57, was seriously assaulted on Talbot Street in Dublin's city center just before 11 pm on July 19.

Gardaí have since confirmed that three male juveniles have been arrested and charged in relation to the attack.

Termini had been “saving every penny” for his trip to Ireland where he was planning to research his Irish roots, his sister told IrishCentral. The assault left Termini in a coma and at risk of losing an eye, though he has now been discharged from the hospital.

Thanks to the GoFundMe, Termini's sons Mike Rizzuto and Jesse Rizzuto were able to travel to Ireland from the US to be with their father during his recovery. In Ireland, the brothers were grateful for the outpouring of support but said they did not feel safe in Dublin.

Termini's assault spurred conversations about safety in Ireland's capital city. He spoke with Ireland's Minister for Justice Helen McEntee on the phone on August 28 after she announced €10 million in new funding for Dublin Gardaí.

Despite the attack, Termini maintains goodwill towards the people of Ireland and says he wants to get his Irish citizenship.

Termini, who spent the previous two evenings socializing in Westport's famous Matt Molloy’s Pub, further told Mayo News: “This town should know this is way better than Dublin.

"It’s safer, it’s laid back, it’s cool, I mean why would you want to go anywhere else? I like what they have here and what I’ve seen so far.”

He added: “I just want to play some play some music, let people enjoy themselves. Especially guys that are working. They’re working hard and they like to listen to some cool music after work and I’d like to be able to be part of that somehow.

“The food is amazing. It’s just a really nice place, a really nice place from what I’ve seen."