[10] Her 1990 work The Country Bloom, A Garden and a Grave was described by Stephanie McBride as "[reconfiguring] Achill’s topography through image and text to present a narrative of local loss, mourning and Famine memories.
"[11] It was selected by The Irish Times as part of "Modern Ireland in 100 Artworks.
"[12] She represented Ireland at the 1996 São Paulo Art Biennial and was elected to Aosdána that same year.
[15][16][17] This performance was highly praised, The Recorder: A Journal of the American Irish Historical Society saying "The keening by Alannah (O'Kelly) was wordless and tore right down to your root.
"[18] Aosdána says that her work "explores ideas of the psychic conflicts of our shared history and the continuity of tradition.