Daniel Willimont – Lead Guitar
Project M Guitarist Daniel tells us why he picked up guitar:
Growing up without the internet (yes, in the before times), boredom got the better of me, so I picked up my dad’s guitar and started trying to play songs. He would always tell me that the greatest songs ever written included Wish You Were Here, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Man Who Sold the World, and many others. According to him, they were the best songs to learn.
I started with the much simpler Wonderwall, though, because I was intimidated by the amount of practice those other songs would require. As time passed, I worked my way up to the songs he wished I would play and eventually surpassed what he had taught me through nonstop playing.
After his passing in 2022, I decided to join a new band to see what I could learn next. And now, here we are as Project M.
Video available on our social media Johnaton Willimont (RIP) and Daniel Willimont playing Ride on by Christy Moore 2013/14
Johnny O’Hehir – Drummer
We asked our drummer Johnny why the drums? Here’s his answer:
My old man was — and still is — a guitarist. Growing up, I listened to Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Rush, and Thin Lizzy, just to name a few. He had a set of drumsticks he’d borrowed from a drummer he knew, and I used to play drums on two stools we had at home to all those classic rock albums.
As time went on, I developed my own varied taste in music, listening to Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, and Green Day, among others. I like to think I’ve taken a bit of influence from all those different drummers and their unique styles in my own playing.
Cyril Brennan – Lead Vocals
Nineteen years ago, I said something that seemed impossible.
I turned to Frankie Sheerin and Stephen from Castle Stage Hire and said…
“One day, I’ll play The Gables before Pat McManus.”
Everyone laughed… and to be fair, I probably deserved it. It was just one of those mad dreams you throw out there.
But once I say I’m going to do something, I don’t let it go.
Then life happened.
In 2020, COVID nearly took my life. I ended up in the Critical Care Unit after suffering a massive saddle pulmonary embolism and multiple blood clots. It was a genuine near-death experience.
Just when I thought I’d come through it, I was hit again in 2022 with three more blood clots.
Those experiences changed my outlook completely.
I stopped putting things off and decided to build the band I’d always wanted. If there was ever a time to chase the dream, it was now.
It hasn’t always been easy.
I’m on blood thinners, and every time I really push myself singing lengthy songs, the scar from an old abscess in my mouth reminds me it’s still there. Sometimes it tears open and the pain kicks in. Strange as it sounds, I don’t hate it. It’s a reminder of why I’m doing this… because I’m still here.
It also meant saying goodbye to my Meat Loaf tribute. That chapter had to end because my health had changed, and I had to accept that. It wasn’t easy, but it opened the door to something new.
This year, after nineteen years, that throwaway comment finally becomes reality.
2026 is the year Project M played before Pat McManus at the Gables!
That moment means more to me than most people will ever know. It’s not just another gig. It’s proof that dreams don’t have an expiry date, setbacks don’t define you, and sometimes the longest roads lead to the best destinations.
I couldn’t have done it without Dan, Johnny and David. Thanks for believing in the dream and helping me make it happen.
No matter what life has thrown at me, I’ve always believed one thing…
I always finish what I start.
David Vitasovic – Bass Guitar
When I was 16 years old I took acoustic guitar lessons 1 on 1 with a tutor.
He was accompanying me on his bass guitar while I was playing blues, jazz, funk songs and scales – all the works.
The tutor had to leave the room for 5 minutes and left his bass guitar leaned against the wall.
I was curious and plucked the low E string on his bass guitar. I felt it in my bones, I was hypnotised.
When my tutor came back, I told him to cancel my acoustic guitar lessons and that I want to play bass guitar from now on. And the rest is history.
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