AJ McLaughlin finds talking in third person a touch uncomfortable. He’s an Art Director who’s been told he’s a good copywriter so for now, he’s a creative. Unfortunately his Mum doesn’t know what that means. 

Having first studied behavioural economics, then graphic design and ultimately advertising, his Dad’s still trying to work out where it all went wrong.

He went on to lose a game of rock-paper-scissors that found himself moving from Dublin to Melbourne in 2019.  Meaning he still calls long blacks americanos and thongs flip flops. It also means that intergenerational celt trauma has afforded him a pretty nuanced insight, a cursed vocation for storytelling and he’ll always be the last one there at the Christmas party. Gladly.

He’s the 2023 AWARD School National winner. His Mum still doesn’t know what that means.