‘I don't know what happened,' says distraught mother of Irish woman Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra (33) found dead on yacht in New York state
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The mother of an Irish woman found dead on a yacht in the US has said she is 'numb with shock' and struggling to get information about the circumstances.
'I don't know what happened to my daughter,' Elma Nolan told the Irish Independent last night.
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Sunday World
26 minutes ago
- Sunday World
Mum of Irish fashion designer found dead on yacht ‘in shock' as cops investigate
'I don't know what happened,' her mother said. 'We weren't told anything about the circumstances.' The mother of Irish fashion designer Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra who was found dead on a yacht in New York has spoken of her shock as police in the US continue to investigate. The 33-year-old Carlow woman was found unconscious on the boat that was docked at the Montauk Yacht Club in The Hamptons at around midnight on Tuesday. According to police, the post-mortem examination 'did not show evidence of violence'. However according to the New York Post, Suffolk homicide detectives who were dispatched to the scene shortly after the body was found have not ruled out foul play. According to local outlet 27east, shocked club members only learned of the tragedy when they heard a man screaming shortly before the body was found. Two crewmen from a nearby craft then rushed over to the 54-foot vessel, named Ripple, and called 911 before attempting to revive Nolan-O'Slatarra, the outlet claims. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra News in 90 Seconds - Aug 7th According to the New York Post, the 'good Samaritans' tried to resuscitate her after she was found unconscious on the boat, before she was pronounced dead. Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra's mother said she learned about her daughter's death on Tuesday night, but has been left in the dark about what happened on the boat where she was found. 'I feel numb and in shock,' she told The Irish Independent. 'My younger daughter, Jacqui, arrived in on Tuesday night and she was crying and shaking. She said, 'I have terrible news, Martha's dead'.' 'I don't know what happened,' her mother said. 'We weren't told anything about the circumstances.' Ms Nolan last spoke to her daughter on July 29 in relation to plans she had for a visit home this week. 'She wanted to know if I would be around to pick her up,' she said. 'It was a very quick call because she is so busy, but that's the last time we spoke. The Newyork Post said Carlow-born Nolan-O'Slatarra was a 'popular Big Apple designer' who was a well-known local figure at the upscale waterfront community in the Hamptons. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra They say the tragedy has shaken many in Montauk, a summer retreat known for its wealth. The yacht club's clientele has included some of the nation's most famous figures, including JP Morgan, Vincent Astor, Harold Vanderbilt and Charles Lindbergh, according to its website. Martha's business partner Dylan Grace, who started the design company East x East with her in 2023 posted a moving farewell message on Instagram on Wednesday. 'We dreamed big together, laughed harder than anyone else could understand and built so much for nothing,' he wrote. 'I'm truly blessed and grateful to have had you in my life,' Grace wrote. 'Love you so much Mar. Fly high girl.' Last month, she celebrated a pop-up shop at the exclusive Montauk spa, the Gurney's Resort, who said they were 'deeply saddened by the tragic news regarding Martha Nolan'. '(We) extend our sincere condolences to her family and loved ones,' the spa said in a statement Wednesday. 'While Martha was not an employee of Gurney's, we were proud to host her East x East pop-up and admired her entrepreneurial spirit and creative vision,' the statement added. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra worked in Ireland until 2015 when she emigrated to the US. She set up East x East, a luxury brand for sunglasses, swimwear and resort wear for men and women. She was also director of operations at investment firm K4 Capital and ran an Amazon fashion brand, Duper. During a phone conversation with a homicide detective in Montauk, her mother said she was directed to the medical examiner's office for more information. 'The detective said Martha was dead, that he was sorry,' she said. 'I asked him where she was and he said she was on a boat. 'I asked him who she was with. He said he couldn't release information because it was too early on in the investigation. He instructed me to phone the medical examiner's office.' Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra lived in Manhattan's upper east side. In her most recent TikTok post she was celebrating her brand's pop-up shop on the beach in the Hamptons. She came to America in her 20s and was thriving in New York A former colleague of Ms Nolan's said: 'She was such a hard worker and brilliant at her job. She would come up with amazing marketing ideas and then execute them. 'Martha knew what she wanted and she would get it done. She came to America in her 20s and was thriving in New York, which is a tough city. 'She didn't go out partying. She had a bright future ahead of her and she was moving into swimwear, which is a lucrative market. She loved being around models and loved her job.' Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra spoke to the Irish Independent last year about her entrepreneurial spirit and her love of fashion. She said it inspired her to merge her 'love for travel' with her knowledge of marketing. She also spoke of her 'hard-work mindset' and determination. 'Carlow is a small town, I was the small-town girl who needed to get out to achieve her big dreams,' she said. 'I always knew I wanted to be successful, that I was money-driven, business-driven, and that fashion is a tough industry and it would be a slow road.' Speaking about networking and business relationships, she said she had made new friends through her career but she still had all her Carlow friends. Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra studied commerce at UCD before completing a master's in digital marketing at Smurfit Business School. She previously worked as a digital marketing executive for a fashion brand in Dublin and as an associate consultant for Nasdaq Calypso Technology. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said her death is an 'absolutely devastating blow to the family' and her community in Co Carlow. He said she was 'a young, beautiful, very talented, creative woman' and his thoughts and prayers were with her family.
Irish Daily Mirror
26 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
The amazing life of Irish native Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra before her tragic death
Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, who was tragically found dead on a yacht in Long Island earlier this week, had been living a successful and glamorous life in the US. The Carlow native was found unconscious on a boat moored at the Montauk Yacht Club in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Despite immediate attempts to revive her, East Hampton Town Police later declared her dead at the scene. Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra, who was just 33, had been living in Manhattan after relocating to New York in her mid-20s. She was an alumnus of University College Dublin (UCD) and later pursued a master's degree in digital marketing at Smurfit Business School, reports RSVP Live. After moving to the US, Martha initially worked as a sales representative for a fintech start-up liaising with top-tier hedge funds. Later, she launched her own brand, East x East, a clothing line specialising in eyewear, swimwear and resort wear. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra (Image: Instagram) She was also the director of operations at investment firm K4 Capital and ran an Amazon fashion brand known as 'Duper'. Speaking to the Irish Independent previously, Martha said she had left home at the age of 16, determined to make a success of herself. She said: "I was the small-town girl who needed to get out to achieve her big dreams." She added that she always knew she wanted to be successful. Business associates of the young Irish fashion designer have shared touching tributes to her on social media. Dylan Grace, Martha's business partner at East x East, posted several photos of them together on Instagram and expressed how he was "truly blessed and grateful" for her presence in his life. Martha with Dylan Grace, her business partner at East x East His post read: "We dreamed big together, laughed harder than anyone else could understand, and built so much from nothing. I'm truly blessed and grateful to have had you in my life. Love you so much Mar. Fly high girl." The comments were also filled with sweet tributes, as one person wrote: "She was such a beautiful person inside and out. She will be so so missed. Love you both - rest in peace Martha." "Still can't believe it. I'm heartbroken and completely devastated. I'm so so sorry Dylan. She will always be in our hearts and memories. Sending you big hugs, I am here for you my friend," another said. A third wrote: "I'm so sorry brother. Martha was a beautiful light that shined on so many. I know her light will continue to shine through you and others." In a previous interview, Martha credited Dylan with helping her fund and grow her fledgling fashion firm, saying he was her 'best friend'. Her most recent posts included a July video celebrating a pop-up appearance at Gurney's Resort in Montauk, captioned "Goals Achieved". The circumstances leading to her death remain a mystery but are under investigation by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office. In an update on Wednesday, the Suffolk County Police Department said a post-mortem examination 'did not show evidence of violence' and her cause of death requires further examination. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Sunday World
an hour ago
- Sunday World
Gardaí launch murder probe after fatal stabbing of Tipperary man in his home
Ian Walsh (49) is understood to have suffered fatal stab injuries after apparently being confronted at his home sometime over last weekend. Gardaí have launched a murder investigation after a Tipperary rail enthusiast was found to be the victim of a vicious stabbing in his home. Ian Walsh (49) was discovered at a property in Carrick-on-Suir in south Tipperary early on Monday morning when family members and neighbours went to check on him after becoming concerned for his welfare. Gardaí are now treating the death of Mr Walsh as murder following the results of a post mortem examination at University Hospital Waterford (UHW). Mr Walsh is understood to have suffered fatal stab injuries after apparently being confronted at his home sometime over last weekend. Initial indications are that the rail enthusiast was the victim of a particularly brutal attack. Ian Walsh News in 90 Seconds - Aug 7th There was no indication of a burglary or attempted break-in at the property. Mr Walsh had not been seen locally for two or three days. He routinely met with family and friends every Sunday - and they became concerned when they were unable to contact him despite repeated attempts. The 49 year old was found unresponsive with visible marks and injuries to his body in a house off Cregg Road on the northeastern section of Carrick-on-Suir at 3am on Monday. Gardaí were immediately alerted and attended the scene. Paramedics and a local GP were also notified. However, Mr Walsh was pronounced dead at the scene before he could be transferred to UHW. It is feared he may have lain dead inside the property for some time before being discovered. The Office of the State Pathologist was notified and a post mortem examination was conducted at UHW by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Yvonne McCarthy. "Preliminary results have been provided to the investigation team. These details are not being released for operational reasons. Following the post-mortem, An Garda Síochána has now commenced a murder investigation," a garda spokesperson confirmed. Sources indicated that Mr Walsh died from stab injuries to his torso. He was discovered lying in a pool of blood in a ground floor room at the property. The deceased lived at the house - just off the Callan Road in Carrick-on-Suir - for a number of years. His family also live in the Carrick-on-Suir area. Mr Walsh worked for Iarnród Éireann for over 30 years. Over recent times, he had qualified as a bus driver and was working part-time in the coach business in the south east. He had worked as a signaller at Kent Station in Cork. Mr Walsh was a lifelong rail enthusiast and boasted numerous friends within Irish Rail and Irish railway societies. Friends hailed him as one of the most knowledgeable officials in respect of Ireland's rail heritage - and how to use the rail network for tour groups. Locals expressed shock at his death - and hailed him as someone who was known and respected in rail circles from Dublin to Cork and Waterford. He was also very involved in sports and was said locally to be a keen cyclist and walker, careful to maintain his own fitness. The Garda Technical Bureau conducted a full forensic examination of the property in a bid to garner clues as to the identity of the attacker. Door-to-door inquiries are being conducted to determine the last known movements of Mr Walsh. Officers are also keen to determine if anyone heard or saw anything suspicious in the area over the previous 76 hours. Gardaí are also checking CCTV security camera footage from residential properties and businesses in the town and area to determine any movements to and from Cregg Road. "Gardaí are appealing for anyone with information related to this incident to come forward, including any road users who were in the area of Cregg Road, Carrick-On-Suir, Co Tipperary, between 8pm on Friday August 1 2025 and 3.30am on Monday August 4 2025." "Additionally, anyone who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and was traveling in the area at the time is asked to make it available to Gardaí." "Anyone with any information is asked to contact Clonmel Garda Station on (052) 617 7640, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station." Tributes have been paid to Mr Walsh by rail and tourism groups shocked at news of his death. Iarnród Éireann said they were shocked at his death. "All of us in Iarnród Éireann are shocked and saddened at Ian's passing," a company spokesperson said. "Ian was a well known and popular colleague across the company, both in his working life in roles from catering to signalling, and for his passion for railway and transport tourism and heritage." "Our thoughts are with his family, and his friends in the railway and beyond, at this difficult time." Táilte Tours said Mr Walsh had been of enormous support to them over the years - and had run several rail heritage tours of his own. "It is with great sadness that the Táilte Tours team has learnt of the passing of Ian Walsh, signaller at Cork station and a huge supporter of our rail tour operation," the tour group posted on social media. "Ian ran five rail tours of his own over the course of the mid to late 2000s, and was very much a pioneer in 'outside the box' tours in Ireland, starting them from locations such as Waterford and Limerick, in an era when tours were generally based in Dublin or Belfast." "He was more than happy to pass his experience and expertise on when we started operations a few years ago; for those of who enjoyed the 'surprise' rare track moves on our Cork-based rail tours, you can thank Ian, who went far beyond the extra mile to ensure our operations went off without a hitch." "He had a wonderful knowledge of the Iarnród Éireann system and its people, and had also developed a passion for Bus Éireann operations, diligently recording the last runs on several rural routes in the south east as they disappeared, quickly becoming a friend to bus drivers in the Cork and Waterford areas." "All at Táilte Tours would like to extend our condolences to his family and friends."
