Tragic Martha Nolan O'Slatarra came through divorce and lawsuit to fight for her US dream

Sunday World

6 days ago

Creative 'dreamer' endured divorce and legal worries after accusations from former employers in the States
Martha Nolan O'Slatarra was found dead at the luxurious Montauk Yacht Club in The Hamptons
An Irish fashion entrepreneur found dead on a yacht in New York was living the American dream after coming through a divorce and a separate but very bitter lawsuit relating to her work with a luxury sunglasses brand.
Papers dissolving the marriage of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra to former husband Sam Ryan had been filed with the County's Supreme Court earlier this year.
According to the filings, Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra's divorce was uncontested and the records indicate that no issues had arisen during the proceedings.
In April of this year, lawyer David Centeno filed a certificate of dissolution of the marriage, a proposed judgement of divorce and a separation agreement with the New York County Supreme Court.
On Thursday of this week, the same court was informed by Mr Centeno that Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra has passed away.
The Montauk Yacht Club in The Hamptons
The Carlow born 33-year-old was found dead on a boat at the Montauk Yacht Club in East Hampton on Long Island at 12am local time on Tuesday.
Detectives in the US have said a post-mortem examination 'did not show evidence of violence and her final cause of death is pending further examination'.
They also said a 'preliminary investigation and exam', after they arrived at the scene, 'were inconclusive' in informing a cause of death for the businesswoman.
Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra's remains are currently in the custody of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office as her loved ones await news on when they will be released for repatriation home to Ireland.
Her family have been told that a final post-mortem report, including toxicological, histological and other testing, will take at least three months to complete.
Although Ms Nolan O'Slatarra's social media accounts painted a picture-perfect lifestyle, with videos capturing her enjoying helicopter rides, driving convertibles and sitting in luxury jets, the energetic and successful businesswoman had also endured difficulties in business in recent years.
A model poses in a bikini for Martha's East x East swimwear brand
She and Limerick-born business partner Dylan Grace were previously sued in the US by the founder of luxury sunglasses brand 'Out East Accessories Inc'.
In a 21-page-complaint filed before the District Court for the Southern State of New York in April 2022, lawyers for the company described the pair as two former employees of Out East, claiming they had been terminated for cause in November 2021.
The court filings claimed that in the weeks leading up to their termination and for months after, both Grace and Nolan-O'Slatarra took the company's assets.
This included $34,000 remaining in Out East's bank account and all of Out East's eyewear inventory. The court filings also claimed the pair 'sold or gifted the eyewear without authorization, to enrich themselves at a total loss to the company'.
Martha Nolan O'Slatarra was found dead at the luxurious Montauk Yacht Club in The Hamptons
News in 90 seconds - 10th August 2025
This is an action, the court filings stated, 'first and foremost, to recover from defendants all intellectual property, cash, and inventory...and to prevent them from doing any further damage to Out East.
'In addition, Out East is seeking damages against both defendants for their egregious actions.
'Based on company valuations prior to defendants' actions, Out East has suffered millions of dollars in damages, in a specific amount to be determined at trial,' the documents claimed.
The case was ultimately settled in June of 2022 and dismissed the following month.
In the wake of her departure from Out East, Ms Nolan O'Slatarra went about setting up her own luxury brand, 'East x East' which came online in 2023.
A model poses in Martha's Out East sunglasses
She subsequently launched a series of pop-up boutiques in The Hamptons, featuring her line of swimwear and sunglasses.
And just weeks before her death, she celebrated a milestone by hosting a pop-up shop for the lifestyle brand at the popular Gurney's resort in Montauk.
Mr Grace, who was Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra's co-defendant in the Out East case, this week paid tribute to her on social media.
'I'm truly blessed and grateful to have had you in my life,' he said.
'We dreamed big ­together, laughed harder than anyone else could understand, and built so much from nothing.
The first concerns for Ms Nolan O'Slatarra's welfare arose at 12am Tuesday local time when a man called 911, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.
Suffolk police said 'good Samaritans' tried to perform CPR, but Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra was ­pronounced dead on the boat by first responders.
It emerged yesterday that Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra had spoken to her boyfriend in the hours before she died, telling him that she was going to book an Uber and would be home around 1am.
It is understood that the couple were staying in the Montauk area for the summer.
Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra's boyfriend was not on the boat with her and she had told him she was meeting someone in connection with her business, it is understood.
It's understood all those who spoke with or had interactions with Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra will be spoken to by detectives as part of the investigation.
The circumstances surrounding the mystery death of Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra have shaken locals and visitors alike.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said its officials were aware of the case and providing consular assistance.
Speaking to the Irish Independent on Wednesday, Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra's mother Elma expressed her anguish over her daughter's death.
'I feel numb and in shock,' she said. 'My younger daughter, Jacqui, arrived in on Tuesday night and she was crying and shaking.
'She said, 'I have terrible news, Martha's dead'.'
The mother of two said that she was struggling to get information about the circumstances surrounding her ­daughter's death since she received the news.
'I don't know what happened to my daughter,' she said.
'We weren't told anything about the circumstances.'