Copyright evoke
Months on from Martha Nolan O’Slatarra’s death, her friends are still trying to make sense of what happened, with her pal and business partner Dylan Grace telling how she’d been 'manifesting a beautiful and luxurious life'. Martha, who was from Carlow, moved to New York a decade ago and had been hustling to grow her and Dylan’s swimwear brand East x East in the exclusive East Hamptons, and it was after a business meeting that she was found dead at Montauk Yacht Club in August. Reflecting on his friend’s life, Dylan told how 2025 was supposed to be Martha’s year, with them having big plans for their brand and securing a coveted spot along the beach to sell their products. He told New York Magazine: 'The saddest part is we’d gotten through the hardest part of it, figuring out the visas, becoming financially stable, and then it ended, for her.' Dylan, who is from Limerick, went on to say that he and Martha were always talking about the future, saying Martha was ‘excited to start a family, and have a successful business, to own multiple houses.' He added: 'She loves luxury items... she kind of liked the lifestyle, and I think it motivated her to keep grinding. She was manifesting a beautiful and luxurious life.' As for how the pals, who met while living in the same building in New York, managed to spend their summers in Montauk even though money was tight, Dylan said one of his friends let him rent out rooms in their house, meaning they had a base to build their brand from in the expensive area. Dylan also reflected on how, following Martha's death, there has been a frenzy of interest around what happened and her life. He said that the attention has been an unexpected source of comfort, telling the publication: 'She loved press, and loved media. I just knew that she’d be so happy that’s how she went out.' Martha was discovered unconscious around midnight on August 5 aboard a boat docked at the exclusive Montauk Yacht Club. She later died, and witnesses recalled seeing a man on deck screaming 'do something' as passers-by rushed to perform CPR. As of November 2025, Martha's death is still being investigated by the Suffolk County Police, with an initial examination in August ruling out a violent death. Martha's funeral mass was held at Carlow’s Cathedral of the Assumption on Wednesday, 20 August, with her partner Nick DiRubio paying a moving tribute. He said: 'Martha had a way of putting people she loved first, she loved helping people and many of you in this room have been lucky enough to experience that love. ‘Whether it was telling you to ‘cop on’ and focus on the good in this life, or just being a shoulder to lean on, the shining light that Martha brought into this world is a reflection of everybody in this room – friends, family, loved ones both past and present. 'We’ve all been lucky to have known Martha, and we must live every day forward with her in our hearts, may she rest in peace.
