A TEENAGE boy has been arrested in connection with an attack in Dublin city centre that left an American tourist in a coma.

Stephen Termini was kicked and beaten by a group of youths in an unprovoked attack on Store Street on Wednesday.

The 57-year-old, who is from Buffalo in New York, was left with life-changing injuries after being set upon shortly after leaving his guesthouse accommodation on Talbot Street.

He remains critically ill in Beamount Hospital in Dublin.

An Garda Síochána said a male juvenile was arrested over the weekend in connection with the incident.

He was detained at a north Dublin garda station on Sunday under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Mr Termini’s family have launched an online fundraiser for the 57-year-old.

The GoFundMe page, set up by his son Michael Rizzuto, said Mr Termini had been left in a coma with life-altering injuries.

Speaking to RTÉ, he said the family was desperate to travel to Dublin to be by his side.

"We kind of just feel helpless at the moment," he said. "It costs a lot of money for plane tickets and nobody really has a plan except for the GoFundMe and maybe be there when he wakes up and I think that would be a very big deal.

"Last time I spoke to him he was saving up every penny, doing odd jobs to get over to Ireland.”

Close to $70,000 had been raised as of Sunday afternoon, with donations coming from more than 2,200 people.

A message from Mr Termini’s sister posted on the page, said: “We feel so very helpless, as none of us can afford the trip to be with him in his time of dire need.

“I understand that he may lose one of his eyes and suffer lifelong disability from this unfortunate incident.”

According to the family, Mr Termini had travelled to Ireland to find out more about his Irish family heritage.