The IRA bombing is claimed by the actor to have helped regeneration of the city, which was once a hotbed of crime.
- May 8, 2010
AceShowbiz - "Lord of the Rings" star Dominic Monaghan is sure to spark controversy with radio remarks about the terrorist bombing of his native Manchester's city center in 1996 - he thinks the blast was "a huge favor" to the place. More than 200 people were injured in the IRA blast - but the actor insists the tragedy prompted a regeneration of the area, which was once a hotbed of crime.
Speaking on Los Angeles-based radio show Petros & Money, the Lost star says, "When I was growing up there... it was much rougher and then the IRA did one of the greatest favors that they've ever done for us - they planted a bomb in the town center of Manchester and, because of the large Irish contingent living in Manchester, they alerted the police, and everyone left the town center."
"They then blew up the town center and the English government gave us a billion pounds to rebuild the town center... so the town center is really cleaned up."
