Not sure what IRC network your referring to, 
there are many. Currently though I know Dalnet 
has been in the news a lot, they are supposedly 
enduring massive DOS attacks. Some even speculate 
it may be the end of that network, of course they 
said the same things a year or two back about 
efnet.

"Although they insist that DALnet is merely down 
and not out, the network was brought to a 
complete standstill on Jan. 9 and has not resumed 
continuous service since. " read the rest at:

http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,573
92,00.html