The Sirius, her passengers and her 38-strong crew under the command of Captain Richard Roberts R.N. of Ardmore, Passage West, set off from Passage West at 10 am on 4th April 1838, two days later than intended. A salutary battery of guns was fired, crowds came to see them leave and a number of distinguished visitors travelled on her as far as Cobh. Captain Roberts described the departure in his subsequent log of the voyage:
“The Sirius started from Passage, port of Cork, on 4 April at 10.30 am in company with the Ocean, another splendid steamer of the St. George Steam Packet Company. On leaving Passage, about 7 miles below Cork, we were loudly cheered by the inhabitants, together with the most respectable families in Cork, who had assembled with warm hearts and handsome faces (the ladies, I mean) to witness our departure and wish us success on our passage to our transAtlantic brethren. Most of the gentlemen interested in our vessel proceeded with us as far as the Cove (Cobh) of Cork, where we stopped to let Ocean come alongside to take the above gentlemen out, which having been done, with three hearty cheers and many heartier wishes, we gallantly bent our way for New York.”
Captain Roberts was subsequently presented with the freedom of Cork and London and the people of Passage presented him with a silver salver.
The Sirius made a second trip to New York under Captain Stephen S. Moyle. She was lost at Ware Cove near Ballycotton on 16th January 1847.
Captain Richard Roberts and all his crew were lost when the steamer President went down while on a return voyage from New York in March 1841. Three years later, a cenotaph was erected to the memory of Captain Roberts in the grounds of the Marmullane churchyard.
http://www.passagewestmonkstown.ie/sirius-shaft.asp
For details of Sirius see http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... f=2&t=8500