American tourist attacked in Dublin speaks and he still wants to move to Ireland

An American tourist who shot to national prominence after being attacked on Talbot Street in Dublin has said he wants to move to Mayo following his ordeal.

In an exclusive interview with The Mayo News, Stephen Termini said that Westport was ‘way better than Dublin’, where he was hospitalised after being assaulted by a gang of youths earlier this summer.

Mr Termini has been staying in the West Mayo town recently, the home of his great-grandmother, Anne Donnelly, who left the area as a teenager during The Great Famine.

He is due to return to Dublin today before flying home to America, but says he still wants to become an Irish citizen so he can move to the west of Ireland.

The 56-year-old factory worker is trying to obtain proof of his family connection to Ireland to help him obtain Irish citizenship.

Speaking during an interview in The Mayo News offices on The Fairgreen in Westport Mr Termini described Westport as ‘a fantastic little place’.

“I tell you, all that money that the people donated, I would use that to buy a house here,” he said, referring to the money that was crowd-funded for him following his hospitalisation.

“Not some spectacular this and that. Even if it needs a little work. It’s got 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 sea food.

“That’s all, a little place. Not attached to another property where there’s people all around. Because I wouldn’t want to disturb them playing bass and drums at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. So yeah, it feels like the place. 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. I’m not even wasting my time in Dublin,” he added.

_{Stephen Termini pictured at The Fairgreen, Westport} 

The widowed father-of-two said he would not discourage anyone from visiting the capital city but said he thought Westport was ‘way better’ than Dublin.

“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.”

An enthusiastic musician, Mr Termini spent the last two evenings frequenting Matt Molloy’s pub on Bridge Street where he was recognised by many locals.

“I like to be around older people that don’t’ go for all that bulls**t that the younger people do. They’re walking around with the cell phone and the girls all dressing in tight pants. I don’t know how they parents let them get away with that. I’m not into all of that,” said Mr Termini, who is a native of Buffalo, New York.

“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,” he added.

An extended interview with Stephen Termini is carried in Tuesday’s print edition of The Mayo News.