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MacGahey (with its variants MacGaughy etc.) is Mag Eachaidh in Irish, another form of Mag Eochadlia (MacGeough) which in turn is etymologically akin to Mac Eochadha (Mac Keogh). MacGahey is an Ulster name and its location is approximately the same as that of MacGeough. Gaffey is regarded as another variant of MacGahey. Gaffey belongs almost exclusively to the area around Athlone.
McGahey, like MacGahey, MacGahy, MacGaughey, MacGaughy, MacGaggy, MacGaugie, Gahey, Gaffey and Gaugy (and sometimes, inaccurately, Hackett) is an anglicised form of the surname Mag Eachaidh (an Ulster variant of Mag Eochadha).
Mag Eochadha means 'son of Eochaidh' (rich in cattle) and is, itself, a variant of Mac Eochadha. Mag Eochadha was anglicised M'Geoghoe, MacGeough, Mageogh, Magough, MacGough, MacGoff, Gough and Goff.
Mac Eochadha was anglicised M'Eoghoe, M'Keoghoe, MacKeogh, MacKeough, MacKeo, MacKough, Keoghoe, Keogh and Keough. The name means 'son of Eochaidh' (a very common Irish personal name in ancient times). It was the name of:
(1) a Leinster family of the same stock as the O'Byrnes, at one time famous as poets;
(2) a Roscommon family, a branch of the O'Kellys of Ui Maine, who were chiefs of Moyfinn in the barony of Athlone;
(3) a Tipperary family who were, in ancient times, chiefs of Owney, but dispossessed many centuries ago by the O'Mulryans;
(4) a Roscommon family who were once chiefs of Moylurg, now the barony of Boyle, until dispossessed by the MacDermotts.
Since Eochaidh and Eochy in Gaelic were pronounced yeo'hee, yo'he, or ughy (with a long u) , then McGahey should be pronounced McGyeo'hee, McGyo'he, or McGughy
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