Russ (Ross) Failge

Russ (Ross) Failge (5th/6th cent.) was eponymous ancestor of the Uí Fhailge dynasty and king of the Laigin. According to genealogical tradition he was a son of Cathaír Már (qv), ancestor of all the free lineages of Leinster, whose alleged reign as king of Ireland is assigned to late prehistory. His mother is not named, though Mairne daughter of Morann of the Cruithin is said to have been Cathaír's principal wife and the mother of most of his sons. In an effort to link the Leinster dynasties of the historical period, Russ Failge, as a son of Cathaír, is assigned up to thirty-two brothers (or half-brothers), all eponyms. Most prominent are Dáire Barrach (ancestor of Uí Bairrche), Bressal Enechglass (ancestor of Uí Enechglaiss), and the youngest brother, Fiachu ba hAiccid (ancestor of both Uí Dúnlainge and Uí Chennselaig). As an historical character, however, it might be reasonable to place Russ Failge, on the basis of a generation count, in the late fifth or early sixth century. The seemingly improbable paternity claimed for him may be explained by the suggestion that ‘Cathaír’ (battle lord) was a title borne by fifth-century Laigin kings of Tara. Russ himself is assigned the credible number of six sons, the most notable being Nath-Í and Óengus.

Although his descendants, known as Uí Fhailge, are surpassed in the political order of later historical times by the progeny of Fiachu, it is undoubtedly significant that the Old Irish poem ‘Timna Cathaír Máir’ (‘The testament of Cathaír Már’) singles out Russ for special mention. The poem, clearly modelled on the blessing of Jacob upon the tribes of Israel, names Russ as the first of his father's sons, to whom ‘the primacy’ is bequeathed. He is the eldest brother with whom the young Fiachu is ordered to spend the most important part of his apprenticeship to kingship, so that his line might later provide suzerains of the province. The implication seems to be that an earlier Leinster political doctrine accorded the line of Russ Failge a key role in the formation of the historical Leinster overkingship. Russ was credited, in later tradition at least, with a prominent role in resisting the midland conquests of the sons of Niall Noígiallach (qv). A non-contemporary entry in the Annals of Ulster assigns the victory at Frému (Co. Meath) in 510 to Failge Berraide, who is elsewhere equated with Russ. If this identification is acceptable (and the former was not in fact a descendant of the latter), an historical context which accords with the generation count of the genealogies is available. A descendant (grandson?) of Russ, Bruidge son of Nath-Í, died in 579 as king of Uí Fhailge.