The geographic distribution and the DNA both point to a separate line of Garveys in northern Co Roscommon - but neither Woulfe nor MacLysaght (nor the Annals) mention anything about a branch of Garveys in that area. Only McFirbis' Great Book of Irish Genealogies lists a line of Garveys who belonged to the Silmurray (Siol Muireadhaig) and who were distant kinsmen of the ruling O'Connors. However even McFirbis is terse in his listing. One entry describes the surnames that descended from a group called O'Mulmocherry (O'Maolmoicheirghe). And then it isn't until after he lists a couple more unrelated entries that McFirbis adds the single line "The Garveys also belong to the O'Mulmocherry line". That "one-liner" is the full extent of the historical record concerning the Garveys from Co Roscommon.
The Silmurray were the descendants of Muireadhach Muilleathan who died in 702 AD. The Silmurray are grouped according to which son of Muireadhach they descend. Clann Connor descended from the son named Ionnrachtach, and it was to that branch that the ruling family, O'Connor, belonged. The other branch of the Silmurray descended from the son named Cathal and was known as Clann Cathail. The O'Maolmoicheirghe were one of the sub-tribes within Clann Cathail. The namesake of the line, Maol Moicheirghe, is listed in Entry 212.14 of McFirbis' book as being the son of Cionaoth, with brothers Murchadh, Leogain, and Braon. Entry 214.7 mentions that the (now non-existent) Psalter of Cashel had an alternate lineage for Maol Moicheirghe that began with him as the son of Rodaidhe.
The name O'Mulmocherry translates as "the followers of the chief who is fond of rising early" - and many of that group later anglicized their names to Early. Entry 213.10 lists septs associated with Muintir Maol Moicheirghe as Ui Lachtnain ( Loughnan), Ui Bheollain (Boland), Ui Maol Bhroghna, and Ui Chiaruidhir. Finally Entry 214.1 says that Ui Ghairbhith also belonged to Muintir Maol Moicheirghe. The map of the territory of Clann Cathail shows that the distribution of the Garveys in the mid-1800's Griffith Valuation was still close to the lands held by Clann Cathail in medieval times.
My Garveys are of this Co Roscommon line, as is the Garvey family described in Sandra Ryder Schafer's book A Garvey family: From Ireland to Essex County, New York.
The area's history runs deep. Queen Maeve's Iron Age capital was at Cruachain in the west of the county. The names of kingdoms in this area were Silmurray, Moylurg, Magh nAi, Airtech, and the Tri-Tuatha. After the Norman invasion this area was designated as a personal possession of the king (essentially his park land). This had the effect of preventing English settlement in the area, and let it thrive as one of the last Gaelic enclaves. For centuries the king of Connacht was of the line of O'Connors who were centered in northern Co Roscommon. Their local kingdom is generally referred to as Silmurray. Their court historians were the O'Mulconrys. The O'Connors henchmen were the O'Flanagans and the O'Kellys. O'Connor's admirals were the O'Malley's and the O'Flahertys.
Two excellent books on the history of the area are Cyril Mattimoe's North Roscommon: its people and Past and Patrick Lavin's Celtic Ireland West of the River Shannon.
A name by name transcription of the Griffith Valuation of several civil parishes in County Roscommon is available online here.
The earlest records available for the area is the 1749 census of Elphin diocese. These records show that the Co Roscommon Garveys were orginally called Garvin (Ui Gairbhain). The group of Garveys further south in Co Roscommon may or may not share the same history as the group further north who bordered the former Clann Cathail lands. Jon Garvey speculates that the this more southernly group of Garveys may have originated in Co Galway. He has put together a map of Garveys in Co Roscommon in 1749 as listed in a census of that year.
