Connecting to freenode.org using GAIM?

I know this is the dumbest question in the world, but how do I connect to #ubuntuforums on freenode.org? The only IRC client I have is GAIM, it requires a username and password to connect, and I have been surfing the net for literally HOURS trying to make sense of the IRC registration process, and nothing seems to explain what to do to actually receive a username and password? I feel like I'm losing my mind!