Into the IRC Abyss

Now that it appears isohunt, my current avenue to semi-legal downloads is about to get shut down, it looks like I'll have to delve into the depth of the net far too deep for the MPAA and the like to care about. . . that cryptic realm known as IRC. 

So now, I need a decent IRC client.  MiRC, the aparent "choice" of everyone, may have decent funcionality, but I don't have time, patience, or bad taste to deal with its interface.  Are there any decent looking, functional, user friendly IRC clients out there?  Maybe one that easily facilitates sharing of files in channel?

irssi