Add the following block into ~/.irssi/config:
ignores = ({level = "JOINS PARTS QUITS";channels = ( "#archlinux", "#vim", "#powershell" );network = "FreeNode";},{level = "MODES";channels = ( "&bitlbee" );network = "BitlBee";}); This will automatically block the *level* message types from the channels specified. If you prefer manual way of ignoring messages try **/help ignore**. On a related note, **activity*hide*level** is a variable which can be used to disable the notification in act bar for specific message levels. Take a look at [this](http://macnugget.org/stuff/irssi/config) nice irssi config file for examples of these. Here is a list of various message levels for reference (you can find it in **/help levels**): Message levels (or in short, levels) are used almost everywhere. They describe what kind of messages we're dealing with. Here's a list of them all:CRAP - Can be almost anythingMSGS - Private messagesPUBLIC - Public messages in channelNOTICES - NoticesSNOTES - Server noticesCTCPS - CTCP messagesACTIONS - Actions (/me) - usually ORed with PUBLIC or MSGSJOINS - Someone joins a channelPARTS - Someone parts a channelQUITS - Someone quits IRCKICKS - Someone gets kicked from channelMODES - Channel mode is changedTOPICS - Channel topic is changedWALLOPS - Wallop is receivedINVITES - Invite is receivedNICKS - Someone changes nickDCC - DCC related messagesDCCMSGS - DCC chat messagesCLIENTNOTICE - Irssi's noticesCLIENTERROR - Irssi's error messagesCLIENTCRAP - Some other messages from Irssi And a few special ones that could be included with the levels above: HILIGHT - Text is highlightedNOHILIGHT - Don't check highlighting for this messageNO_ACT - Don't trigger channel activity when printingthis messageNEVER - Never ignore or log this message