Hello Virginian,
For what it's worth: We owned an Irwin 31 Citation many years ago. We admired the Irwin 34 due to its extra space and the distinctive stern each boat sported.
RE: the keel....... Our 31 had a bolted on keel. The hull was lightly built and another Irwin 31 (I think a year newer) with which we were a bit familiar had one more keel bolt than ours did. That keel bolt was under the area of the head compartment and the bolt was in the forward part of the keel. When we began to notice an opening of the joint between the keel and the hull at the leading edge of the keel we added that extra keel bolt to our compliment of attachments in the bilge.
RE the 34: Is it possible that the fiberglass exterior of the keel is the "encapsulated" idea the owner is referring to? That covering being described as encapsulated rather than a lead or cast iron keel that is more exposed to the water unless it is painted?
By the way, that Irwin 31 sailed very well at a specific heeling angle which it could find in the spur of a moment!