History of County Westmeath

thumb|Early peoples and kingdoms of Ireland. Here Tethba is used to label south Tethbae while north Tethbae is labelled Cairbre, one of three kingdoms named for Coirpre mac Néill|Coirpre, or Cairbre, son of [[Niall of the Nine Hostages]] Tethbae (; also spelled Tethba, often anglicised Teffia) was a confederation of túatha in central Ireland in the Middle Ages. It was divided into two distinct kingdoms, north Tethba, ruled by the Cenél Coirpri, and south Tethba, ruled by the Cenél Maini. It covered parts of County Westmeath and much of County Longford, counties which today are the far north-we