Malcolm,I can,t set the record straight,I,m afraid.
Apologies for misreading your post.
finally dance music is for dancing,so if the saxophone,is ok for english dancing,logically it should be ok for irish dancing ,.
undoubtedly more technique will be required to play fast irish reels,.
the lad who was playing it is a former All Ireland champion piper,and was playing the Saxophone very well.,so I reckon he will do the job properly.
getting back to the English Concertina,AN IMPORTANT step to improvement[as with any instrument]is listening to oneself,
2.never letting ornamentation interfere with rhythmic drive.
3. remember this is Dance Music.