Dennis wrote:

> I assume "garsa" is a typo for "gasda" = "gasta" = nimble, 
> quick, alert, skilfull, etc.,  since it's pretty clear in 
> the MS.

Yes, sorry about that!

> I'm a bit unclear, however, about the verb which seems to
> be "laoi" in the MS.  Identifying this as the "3 sg. 
> conjunct perfect of 'luïd'" makes sense contextually.  The 
> verb survived intact into EMI as "luaidh", and I guess "laoi" 
> could be a shortened or phonetic spelling of it.

I'm not sure I'm keeping up with you here. I think you saying that the
EMI form of the conjunct perfect should be 'luaidh'. Yes?

On the basis of the deuterotonic forms for as-luí, I thought the older
form of the conjunct perfect of 'luïd' would be something like
'-luí/laí/lói' and that '-laoi' here was a later representation of this.
(Cf DIL L 239.29-34.) (If the form is too old, perhaps the phrase in our
stanza is something of a petrified cliché?)

> Did we have an example already in the poem of -aoi used 
> for -uaidh or -uaigh?  

Not that I remember.

Neil