Hi everyone,
Thanks to Templarian, we have our own dedicated channel on freenode called #kirupa. There are several ways you can join.
The easiest way is for you to use web-based client here (or by clicking the Chat link in the header): http://www.kirupa.com/forum/irc.php
If you want more options or customizations, using a dedicated IRC client is the way to go. My favorite is http://www.mirc.com, but there are a large number of good ones as well. Reply to this thread if there is one that you like more 
The server is irc.freenode.net, and the channel is #kirupa.
[SIZE=“5”]Quick Tips:[/SIZE]
Here are a few quick tips that may help you out:
Changing Names
In order to change your name, in the chat window, simply type /nick Your_New_Name.
Private Conversations
To hold private conversations with another person, simply double-click their username on the right pane and it will open up a box where only you and the other person can chat.
Cheers,
Kirupa
