diff --git a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Chat/Providers/IrcPasswordType.cs b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Chat/Providers/IrcPasswordType.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..38181f9f99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Chat/Providers/IrcPasswordType.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+namespace Tgstation.Server.Host.Components.Chat.Providers
+{
+	enum IrcPasswordType
+	{
+		Server,
+		Sasl,
+		NickServ
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Chat/Providers/IrcProvider.cs b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Chat/Providers/IrcProvider.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..49410fc57d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Chat/Providers/IrcProvider.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+using Meebey.SmartIrc4net;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.Threading;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using Tgstation.Server.Api.Models;
+using Tgstation.Server.Host.Core;
+
+namespace Tgstation.Server.Host.Components.Chat.Providers
+{
+	/// <summary>
+	/// <see cref="IProvider"/> for internet relay chat
+	/// </summary>
+	sealed class IrcProvider : IProvider
+	{
+		/// <inheritdoc />
+		public bool Connected => throw new NotImplementedException();
+
+		/// <inheritdoc />
+		public string BotMention => throw new NotImplementedException();
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The <see cref="ILogger"/> for the <see cref="IrcProvider"/>
+		/// </summary>
+		readonly ILogger<IrcProvider> logger;
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The <see cref="IrcFeatures"/> client
+		/// </summary>
+		readonly IrcFeatures client;
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Address of the server to connect to
+		/// </summary>
+		readonly string address;
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Port of the server to connect to
+		/// </summary>
+		readonly ushort port;
+		/// <summary>
+		/// IRC nickname
+		/// </summary>
+		readonly string nickname;
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Password which will used for authentication
+		/// </summary>
+		readonly string password;
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The <see cref="IrcPasswordType"/> of <see cref="password"/>
+		/// </summary>
+		readonly IrcPasswordType? passwordType;
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Construct an <see cref="IrcProvider"/>
+		/// </summary>
+		/// <param name="logger">The value of logger</param>
+		/// <param name="application">The <see cref="IApplication"/> to get the <see cref="IApplication.VersionString"/> from</param>
+		/// <param name="address">The value of <see cref="address"/></param>
+		/// <param name="port">The value of <see cref="port"/></param>
+		/// <param name="nickname">The value of <see cref="nickname"/></param>
+		/// <param name="password">The value of <see cref="password"/></param>
+		/// <param name="passwordType">The value of <see cref="passwordType"/></param>
+		/// <param name="useSsl">If <see cref="IrcConnection.UseSsl"/> should be used</param>
+		public IrcProvider(ILogger<IrcProvider> logger, IApplication application, string address, ushort port, string nickname, string password, IrcPasswordType? passwordType, bool useSsl)
+		{
+			this.logger = logger ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(logger));
+			if (application == null)
+				throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(application));
+
+			this.address = address ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(address));
+			this.port = port;
+			this.nickname = nickname ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(nickname));
+
+			if (passwordType.HasValue && password == null)
+				throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(password));
+
+			if(password != null && !passwordType.HasValue)
+				throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(passwordType));
+
+			this.password = password;
+			this.passwordType = passwordType;
+
+			client = new IrcFeatures
+			{
+				SupportNonRfc = true,
+				CtcpUserInfo = "You are going to play. And I am going to watch. And everything will be just fine...",
+				AutoRejoin = true,
+				AutoRejoinOnKick = true,
+				AutoRelogin = true,
+				AutoRetry = true,
+				AutoRetryLimit = 5,
+				AutoRetryDelay = 5,
+				ActiveChannelSyncing = true,
+				AutoNickHandling = true,
+				CtcpVersion = application.VersionString,
+				UseSsl = useSsl,
+				ValidateServerCertificate = useSsl,
+			};
+
+			client.OnChannelMessage += Client_OnChannelMessage;
+			client.OnQueryMessage += Client_OnQueryMessage;
+		}
+
+		void Client_OnQueryMessage(object sender, IrcEventArgs e)
+		{
+			throw new NotImplementedException();
+		}
+
+		void Client_OnChannelMessage(object sender, IrcEventArgs e)
+		{
+			throw new NotImplementedException();
+		}
+
+		/// <inheritdoc />
+		public void Dispose() => Disconnect(default).Wait();    //not actually a task so whatever
+
+		/// <inheritdoc />
+		public Task<bool> Connect(CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.Factory.StartNew(() =>
+		{
+			try
+			{
+				client.Connect(address, port);
+
+				cancellationToken.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
+
+				if (passwordType == IrcPasswordType.Sasl)
+				{
+					//TODO
+				}
+
+				if (passwordType == IrcPasswordType.Server)
+					client.Login(nickname, nickname, 0, nickname, password);
+				else
+					client.Login(nickname, nickname);
+
+				if (passwordType == IrcPasswordType.NickServ)
+				{
+					cancellationToken.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
+					client.SendMessage(SendType.Message, "NickServ", String.Format(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, "IDENTIFY {0}", password));
+				}
+			}
+			catch(Exception e)
+			{
+				logger.LogWarning("Unable to connect to IRC: {0}", e);
+			}
+			return true;
+		}, cancellationToken,TaskCreationOptions.LongRunning, TaskScheduler.Current);
+
+		/// <inheritdoc />
+		public Task Disconnect(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+		{
+			throw new NotImplementedException();
+		}
+
+		/// <inheritdoc />
+		public Task<IReadOnlyList<Channel>> MapChannels(IEnumerable<ChatChannel> channels, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+		{
+			throw new NotImplementedException();
+		}
+
+		/// <inheritdoc />
+		public Task<Message> NextMessage(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+		{
+			throw new NotImplementedException();
+		}
+
+		/// <inheritdoc />
+		public Task SendMessage(ulong channelId, string message, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+		{
+			throw new NotImplementedException();
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Core/Application.cs b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Core/Application.cs
index 963b22e98a..cd8c07c453 100644
--- a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Core/Application.cs
+++ b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Core/Application.cs
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ namespace Tgstation.Server.Host.Core
 		/// <inheritdoc />
 		public Version Version { get; }
 
+		/// <inheritdoc />
+		public string VersionString { get; }
+
 		/// <summary>
 		/// The <see cref="IConfiguration"/> for the <see cref="Application"/>
 		/// </summary>
@@ -56,6 +59,7 @@ namespace Tgstation.Server.Host.Core
 			this.hostingEnvironment = hostingEnvironment ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(hostingEnvironment));
 
 			Version = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version;
+			VersionString = String.Format(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, "/tg/station server v{0}", Version);
 		}
 
 		/// <summary>
diff --git a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Core/IApplication.cs b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Core/IApplication.cs
index eed6769ab3..b00ae8a3b9 100644
--- a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Core/IApplication.cs
+++ b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Core/IApplication.cs
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ namespace Tgstation.Server.Host.Core
 	/// </summary>
 	public interface IApplication
 	{
+		/// <summary>
+		/// A more verbose version of <see cref="Version"/>
+		/// </summary>
+		string VersionString { get; }
+
 		/// <summary>
 		/// The version of the <see cref="Application"/>
 		/// </summary>