Try irc/hexchat which is an actively developed XChat fork. XChat development has stopped a while ago AFAIK.
I use a combination of irc/znc and irc/hexchat and I am very satisfied with that.
… all the "cool" kids are doing discord these days. IRC is a dying medium, much like Usenet. It will probably continue to exist because of old farts like us but it surely will never be as big as it once was.
… There's much to like about IRC – HexChat was my preferred client, until I began using Riot then Element – however the more that I use things with a sense of continuity, the less I'm inclined to waste time in IRC. …
Via <https://discord.com/channels/727023752348434432/1205037435348713522/1206067048652738621>:
2.16.2, The Final Release – HexChat
hexchat.github.io
… It is hard to let go but the time has come for me to move on.
… Forks of the project are welcomed. Nobody can stop the code from living on.
Someone might like to make a report in Bugzilla (via the FreshPorts page), for an update to the package description and package message. TIA from an old fart
In the meantime, ping pkubaj …