The Royal Irish showing is located on the east bank of the Bear River, about 2.8 kilometres north of the confluence of Bitter Creek with the Bear River, 14 kilometres north of Stewart.

The area is underlain by Lower Jurassic Unuk River Formation (Hazelton Group) andesitic crystal and lithic tuffs that have been intruded by Tertiary(?) augite diorite porphyry (Coast Plutonic Complex).

The Royal Irish showing is hosted in the diorite, close to the northwestern contact with Hazelton Group rocks. It comprises a wide quartz vein, or several parallel veins, trending parallel to the long axis of the diorite. Low gold values have been reported from the quartz (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1920).

In 1990, geochemical sampling outlined a gold anomaly and an arsenic anomaly. A 1991 chip sample assayed 185.11 grams per tonne silver over 10 centimetres of a quartz vein containing trace pyrite, galena, "blackish sulphides" and molybdenum (sample 134206, Assessment Report 21910).

In 1920, Miller and associates owned several claims along the Bear River between Bitter and Fitzgerald (Goose) creeks, including the Royal Irish claim. Some opencutting was reported that year. In 1990, Tenajon Resources completed geochemical sampling over portions of the property. During 2005 through 2010, Auramex completed programs of prospecting, geological mapping, geochemical sampling and airborne geophysical surveys on the area as the Bear River-Surprise Creek property.