How to Listen to Radio Siamsa
Radio Siamsa streams traditional Irish music 24 hours a day, with no ads and no interruptions. You can listen on your iPhone, Android phone, Amazon Alexa, or through our website — and if you’re driving, it’s easy to get the music playing through your car speakers too.
Our stream runs at 256kbps in high-quality mode — roughly three times the clarity of a standard FM radio station. Whether you’re at home, at work or on the N17, this is how to get Radio Siamsa into your ears.
The Quick Version
In a hurry? Here are your options at a glance:
- iPhone or iPad: Download the free Radio Siamsa app from the App Store.
- Android: Download the free Radio Siamsa app from the Google Play Store.
- Amazon Alexa: Enable the Radio Siamsa skill, then say “Alexa, open Radio Siamsa.”
- Web browser: Go to siamsa.ie and hit play.
- In the car: Connect your phone to your car via Bluetooth, open the app, and press play.
That’s the short version. Read on for step-by-step instructions for each.
Listen on iPhone or iPad
The Radio Siamsa iOS app was built by Brian Drelling, a loyal listener, musician and Apple developer who donated his time to create it. It’s free, lightweight, and does exactly one job: plays traditional Irish music.
How to set it up
- Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
- Search for “Radio Siamsa.” It’s the app with the green harp logo.
- Tap “Get” to download. It’s free and takes seconds.
- Open the app and tap the play button.
That’s it. The stream starts in high-quality mode (256kbps) by default. The app shows the current track — the tune title and the artist — so if you hear something you love, you’ll know what it is.
Tips for iPhone listeners
- The app plays in the background, so you can use other apps while listening.
- It works on the lock screen too — you’ll see playback controls without unlocking your phone.
- If you have AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones, the stream routes to them automatically.
- The app also runs on Mac (Apple Silicon) and Apple Vision Pro, though most listeners use it on iPhone.
- Requires iOS 16.0 or later.
Listen on Android
The Android app is rated 4.9 stars on the Play Store and it’s built to be as simple as possible. No ads, no notifications cluttering your phone, no unnecessary permissions. Just tunes.
How to set it up
- Open the Google Play Store on your Android phone or tablet.
- Search for “Radio Siamsa.”
- Tap “Install.” It’s free.
- Open the app and tap play.
The Android app offers a choice between high-quality mode (256kbps) and low-bandwidth mode (128kbps). If you’re on mobile data and watching your usage, the low-bandwidth option still sounds good and uses roughly half the data.
Tips for Android listeners
- Like the iOS app, it plays in the background and shows on your lock screen.
- If the stream doesn’t start on a public Wi-Fi network, try switching to mobile data or using a VPN. Some public networks block streaming traffic.
- The app is lightweight — it won’t slow your phone down or drain your battery the way heavier music apps can.
Listen on Amazon Alexa
If you have an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show or any other Alexa-enabled device, you can listen to Radio Siamsa with a voice command. You just need to enable the skill first.
How to set it up
- Open the Alexa app on your phone (or go to alexa.amazon.com).
- Go to Skills & Games and search for “Radio Siamsa.”
- Tap “Enable Skill.”
- Now say: “Alexa, open Radio Siamsa.”
The music should start playing immediately. However, if you want to make it even simpler, you can set up a routine so that a more natural phrase triggers the station.
Set up a custom voice command (optional but recommended)
By default, you need to say “Alexa, open Radio Siamsa” — which works, but isn’t the most natural thing in the world. Here’s how to set it up so you can just say “Alexa, play Irish music” instead:
- In the Alexa app, go to “Routines.”
- Create a new routine.
- For the trigger, choose “Voice” and type the phrase “Play Irish music” (or whatever feels natural to you).
- For the action, choose “Custom” and type “Open Radio Siamsa.”
- Set the device to “The device you speak to.”
- Save the routine.
Now just say “Alexa, play Irish music” and the trad will start flowing. You can also say “Alexa, stop” to pause it.
A note for UK listeners
Alexa in the UK sometimes has trouble finding stations through its default TuneIn player. If “Alexa, open Radio Siamsa” doesn’t work, try enabling the “My Tuner Radio Player” skill on Alexa first (you only need to do this once). Then say: “Alexa, ask My Tuner Radio Player to play Radio Siamsa from Ireland.” It’s a bit of a mouthful, which is why we’d recommend setting up the routine described above.
Listen on the Website
No app needed. Just visit siamsa.ie in any web browser — on your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop — and hit the play button. The stream runs at 256kbps and shows the current track info (tune title and artist).
This is the simplest option if you’re sitting at a computer and want to listen while you work. It works on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge and every other modern browser.
Listen in Your Car
Some of the best listening happens on the road. There’s something about Irish trad and a long drive — particularly if you’re winding through the west of Ireland — that just works. Here’s how to get Radio Siamsa playing through your car speakers.
Using Bluetooth (most common)
Almost every car made in the last ten years has Bluetooth. If you can make a phone call through your car, you can play Radio Siamsa through it.
- Pair your phone with your car. If you haven’t already, go to Settings > Bluetooth on your phone and select your car from the list of available devices. You only need to do this once — your phone will reconnect automatically after that.
- Open the Radio Siamsa app on your phone.
- Tap play. The audio will route through your car speakers automatically.
If the audio is still coming through your phone speaker instead of the car, check that your car’s stereo is set to Bluetooth as the input source (sometimes labelled “BT Audio” or “Phone Audio” on older systems). On some cars you may need to press a “Media” or “Source” button on the dashboard to switch to Bluetooth.
Using a USB cable
If your car has Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you can connect your phone via USB cable. Open the Radio Siamsa app on your phone, hit play, and the audio will come through the car’s speakers. The track info (tune title and artist) usually appears on the car’s display as well.
Even without CarPlay or Android Auto, a simple USB connection or aux cable will route the audio from your phone to the car stereo on most vehicles.
Using an aux cable
For older cars without Bluetooth, a 3.5mm aux cable is your friend. Plug one end into the headphone jack on your phone (or use a Lightning/USB-C to 3.5mm adapter) and the other end into the aux input on your car stereo. Open the app, press play, and you’re away.
Data usage on the road
Streaming Radio Siamsa over mobile data uses roughly 115MB per hour in high-quality mode (256kbps) or about 58MB per hour in low-bandwidth mode (128kbps on Android). For a two-hour drive, that’s around 230MB at full quality. If you’re on a limited data plan, the low-bandwidth mode on the Android app halves the usage while still sounding well.
If you’re driving through areas with patchy mobile coverage (hello, rural Ireland), the stream may buffer or drop out. It’ll reconnect automatically when the signal comes back. The app is designed to handle this gracefully.
About the Audio Quality
Radio Siamsa streams at 256kbps, which is high for an internet radio station. Most online stations stream at 64–128kbps. The difference is especially noticeable with traditional Irish music, where the subtleties matter — the breath in a flute note, the ring of a concertina reed, the bite of a fiddle bow. At 256kbps, you hear the detail.
For context, Spotify’s “high quality” setting streams at 160kbps on mobile, and their “very high” setting is 320kbps. Radio Siamsa’s 256kbps sits comfortably in that range, and for a live radio stream it’s exceptionally clear.
The Android app additionally offers a 128kbps low-bandwidth option for listeners on slower connections or limited mobile data.
What You’ll Hear
Radio Siamsa plays traditional Irish music and nothing else. No pop, no rock, no ads, no chat shows. The playlist draws from an archive that spans nearly a century of recordings: rare 1930s 78rpm sessions from New York, classic albums from the 1970s revival, and the best contemporary trad releases.
The mix is mostly instrumental — jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas, slow airs — with the occasional song if it’s a classic. You’ll hear fiddles, pipes, flutes, whistles, concertinas, accordions, bodhráns, bouzoukis and more. The app displays the tune title and artist for every track, so when something catches your ear, you know exactly what it is and who’s playing it.
New to trad? Read our complete guide to Irish traditional music
Troubleshooting
Radio Siamsa works reliably for thousands of listeners worldwide, but occasionally things go sideways. Here are the most common issues and how to fix them.
No sound on the app? Check that your phone isn’t on silent mode and that the volume is up. It sounds obvious, but it catches everyone at least once.
Stream won’t start on public Wi-Fi? Some public networks (hotels, airports, cafés) block streaming traffic. Switch to mobile data or try a VPN.
Alexa can’t find Radio Siamsa? Make sure the skill is enabled in the Alexa app. UK listeners may need to use the My Tuner Radio Player skill as described above.
Audio dropping out in the car? This is almost always a mobile coverage issue, particularly in rural areas. The stream reconnects automatically when the signal returns. Switching to the low-bandwidth mode on Android can help on weaker connections.
App not working after an update? Try closing the app completely and reopening it. If that doesn’t work, uninstall and reinstall. Your settings are minimal, so you won’t lose anything.
If you’re still stuck, contact us at station@siamsa.ie with your device type, operating system version, and a description of the problem. We’ll help you get the music playing.
Supporting Radio Siamsa
Radio Siamsa is entirely funded by listener donations. There are no ads on the station, no ads on the website, and no ads in the apps. No grants, no government funding, no corporate sponsors. Just listeners who value the music enough to chip in.
If the music enriches your day — whether you’re listening at your desk in Dublin, in the kitchen in Chicago, or driving through Kerry — you can support the station at siamsa.ie/support. Every donation goes directly to keeping the station on air.
Support Radio Siamsa — siamsa.ie/support
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Radio Siamsa free?
Yes, completely free. The apps are free, there are no ads, and you don’t need to create an account. Just download and play. The station is funded by voluntary listener donations.
What devices can I listen on?
iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, Amazon Alexa devices, and any device with a web browser (laptop, desktop, tablet). You can also listen through your car speakers by connecting your phone via Bluetooth, USB or aux cable.
How much mobile data does Radio Siamsa use?
In high-quality mode (256kbps), roughly 115MB per hour. The Android app also offers a low-bandwidth mode (128kbps) that uses about 58MB per hour. For comparison, an hour of Spotify at normal quality uses about 70MB.
Can I listen on Google Home or Sonos?
Radio Siamsa isn’t currently available as a native skill on Google Home or as a direct Sonos integration. However, you can cast from the website or app to these devices using your phone — use Google Cast or AirPlay to send the audio to your speaker.
What quality does Radio Siamsa stream at?
256kbps in high-quality mode, which is roughly three times the clarity of a standard FM radio broadcast. The Android app also offers 128kbps for listeners on slower connections or limited data plans.
Does the app show what’s playing?
Yes. Both the iOS and Android apps display the tune title and artist for the current track. The website player shows this information too.
Can I listen outside Ireland?
Absolutely. Radio Siamsa has listeners in over 100 countries. The stream works anywhere you have an internet connection.
I’m having trouble with Alexa in the UK. What should I do?
Enable the “My Tuner Radio Player” skill in the Alexa app, then say: “Alexa, ask My Tuner Radio Player to play Radio Siamsa from Ireland.” Alternatively, set up a custom routine as described in the Alexa section above to simplify the voice command.
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