What was significant about the priest's actions in The People (AG) v. McGrath (1960)?

The significance of the priest's actions in The People (AG) v. McGrath (1960) revolves around the understanding of causation in criminal law. The priest's arrival was considered a normal link in the chain of causation because it demonstrated the role of intervening actions in the sequence leading to the outcome of the case.

In this context, the judicial focus was on whether the priest's presence and actions contributed meaningfully to the events that unfolded, without being categorized as direct involvement in the fatal incident. Instead of escalating the situation or being a cause of the death, the priest's involvement represented a typical action that did not directly alter the outcome. This underlines the principle that not all actions directly contribute to criminal liability, especially if they do not interfere with the preceding causal chain in a significant manner.

By framing the priest's involvement as a regular part of the causative link, it emphasizes the judicial perspective on what constitutes an active role in criminal conduct versus a passive or supportive role that does not carry legal culpability.