They come from different backgrounds, but are united by the common thread of looming emigration.

Captured in haunting technicolour during the months and weeks leading up to their departure, all of the 24 individuals, couples and families who have taken part in a photographic project entitled 'Leaving Dublin' over the past year, have now left these shores.

The man behind the initiative, photographer David Monahan, first got the idea to photograph Dublin's new wave of emigrants about a year ago.

He took his first proper shot for the project last March, and has steadily set about adding to his collection through word of mouth and over the internet.

Monahan, whose work was featured on an American CBS news special about the return of Irish emigration last week, said he asked participants to suggest locations around Dublin that had a special meaning for them.

"It is very much a collaboration; it is about the city and the sitter and the interaction before they leave. The idea is to make a historical record of their departure. I also wanted to create a heroic picture of people leaving the country," Monahan said.

At a time when the ESRI is estimating some 120,000 people will have emigrated by the end of this year, he has been struck by the gradual change in the profile of those who are willing to sit for him.

"Definitely the first to go were those who were unattached, in their 20s with no families to look after. But since I started last year there are definitely a lot more from all walks of life leaving," he said.

While most of his subjects have been Irish, he has also photographed non-nationals – Japanese, Finnish, Chinese, Danish and American.

"They have nearly all been going for economic reasons. People want to take part, once they hear what it is about. I get the feeling that in a way being part of the project validates their experience. You are saying their departure is not being forgotten about but that it did actually happen. They want to mark it in some way," he said.

"I'm 47 and I grew up during a time of emigration. My own family was hit hard by it. But I believed in the past 10 years that the tap of emigration had been turned off, when in fact it had not. It saddens me that the only solution to our economic problems has been to export our people.

"There will be children here in Ireland who won't have cousins to play with, who won't see their families because of emigration. I know that feeling."

Monahan, who hopes to eventually stage an exhibition of his project, is looking for more volunteers and can be contacted via his website.

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