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Ambitious, creative and on the rise — Martha Nolan-O’Slattara embodied the energy of a young entrepreneur carving out her place in life.
Scroll through the posts on her TikTok account and you’ll likely leave convinced the 33-year-old Irish national was truly flourishing in New York City — and on the East End.
In one video, she’s flying high with a friend in a helicopter over the Hamptons. In another, she’s cruising with the top down on Long Island on Halloween 2024. And in a third, she’s celebrating a milestone by hosting a pop-up shop for her lifestyle brand, East × East, at the popular Gurney’s Resort in Montauk.
The music is upbeat and carefree in each clip — sounds that matched the breezy, celebratory tone of her life as it appeared online.
But just weeks after sharing her Gurney’s joy and success, the young entrepreneur was found dead, early Tuesday minutes after midnight, aboard a boat at the Montauk Yacht Club. Police said initial autopsy results determined that violence did not contribute to her death; further examination will determine the exact cause.
Drawn to Montauk
@martha_nolan Its not sweater weather yet 🔥
♬ Life is a Highway – Rascal Flatts
Nolan-O’Slattara — friends in Montauk said she wasn’t married, but used both of her family’s names — grew up in Monacurragh, a community in the town of Carlow, Ireland, before moving to New York City in 2015, where she launched East × East in 2021.
The brand, inspired by “coastal life and city grit,” blends laid-back luxury with downtown style, selling minimalist streetwear and vintage-inspired sweatshirts with slogans like “The Hamptons are for lovers.”
Gurney’s moment
@martha_nolan Goals Achieved @East x East Visit our Pop Up at Gurneys in Montauk! #hamptons #mtk #hamptonspopup #mtkpopup #hamptonssummer #thehamptons #montauk #gurneys ♬ Just A Girl – No Doubt
Pop-up events in East Hampton, Montauk and Manhattan over the years helped the brand develop a dedicated following.
‘Beautiful angel’
@martha_nolan Heli on up 🚁
♬ Night Changes – One Direction
Friends and colleagues describe Martha as driven and warm-hearted, with a natural creative spark. Montauk, locals said, served as a bit of a comfort zone for her, thanks to its relatively high concentration of seasonal workers and year-round residents from Ireland.
Her TikTok feed seems like a candid diorama of her life — blending marketing for her brand with personal reflections, moments of joy, and flashes of ambition.
In the days since her death, her TikTok videos have become a gathering place for condolences and memories. Followers have left sorrowful comments, such as, “Rest in peace, lovely Martha,” and “RIP Beautiful angel.”
Some expressed disbelief: “Sooo unfair that you just achieved this beautiful accomplishment just to be taken a few days later. Praying for all those who knew you,” one poster commented. Another: “Omg the saddest thing ever.”
On Instagram, many of her friends shared their grief.
“We love you so much Martha. Devastating doesn’t even describe it. God bless you,” wrote @krystlelaurenbach.
“She was such a beautiful person inside & out. She will be so so missed,” added Natalie Haffner.
