He was stationed on the Wicklow frontier to hold Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne in check, and on 4 April 1581 he and William Stanley succeeded in burning Fiagh's house of Ballinacor and killing some of his followers.

[2] On the occasion of the Duc d'Alençon's visit to England in November, he took part in a royal combat and fight on foot, wherein the duke and the prince dauphin were the challengers and Russell and Lord Thomas Howard the defenders.

Russell's faction prevailed, and the rebellion grew into a general revolt, which lasted through the Nine Years War and ended with the Treaty of Mellifont in 1603.

In August 1594 Russell relieved the garrison of the northern town of Enniskillen, which had been under siege for several months, but failed to capture the Irish leaders.

The dispute proved harmful to the crown government, and Russell was recalled to England in 1597, but only after he had captured and killed the rebel Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne.