Guinness fan Usain Bolt says Ireland is a ‘cold Jamaica and Jamaica is a hot Ireland’

The legendary runner - who holds eight Olympic gold medals and is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time - made the comments to the director of a new film about Irishness, called Quintessentially Irish.

Bolt is also the current world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4x100 metres relay.

"Thanks to his Irish sports agent, Ricky Simms from Co Donegal, I got to hang out with the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, who is a big fan of Guinness,” director Frank Mannion told The Sunday Times.

Around one quarter of Jamaicans claim Irish ancestry, making it the second-largest reported ethnic group in Jamaica.

Mr Mannion said Bolt knows a great deal about the connections between Jamaica and Ireland.

“He is well aware of the close historical links between our countries. He knew that many places in his home island, such as Kildare, Sligoville and Ulster Spring, owe their names to Irish immigrants.

"He described Ireland as a 'cold Jamaica and Jamaica as a hot Ireland'."

Mr Mannion also spoke about the impact Usain’s Donegal born agent, Ricky Simms, had on the runner’s career.

“Ricky Simms is a proud Donegal man and it was privilege to spend time in his company and hear about his remarkable career,” Mr Mannion continued.

“He had an impressive middle distance running career in his own right, winning national medals and he credits Finn Valley Athletics Club as being an important part of his life.

“Ricky was the King of the 2012 London Olympics, as he was the agent for its two Gold medal winning super-stars, Mo Farah and Usain Bolt. Ricky orchestrated the most iconic photo of those Olympic Games with Usain doing the Mobot and Mo Farah doing Bolt’s Lightning Bolt celebration.

“We spent time filming Ricky and Usain Bolt at a Puma event in Las Vegas and Usain was fulsome in his praise for Ricky, crediting him with all the positive things that have happened in his career, including Ricky’s wisdom, guidance, business nous and loyalty since they met when Usain was a 15-year-old up and coming sprinter.

”Ricky’s next quintessentially Irish move will surely be to finally get Usain to Donegal and enjoy a real pint of Guinness!” Mr Mannion added.

Meanwhile, Bolt’s Under-17s 400m record was recently smashed by Jamaican sensation Nickecoy Bramwell.

Bolt set the feat in 2002, six years before winning his first Olympic gold medal in Beijing. He ran a time of 47.33 seconds which was a world record, only for compatriot Bramwell to now break it.

Bramwell (16) was racing at the Carifta Games at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium in Grenada when he set a time of 47.26 seconds, less than one tenth of a second faster than Bolt, earlier this month.

Quintessentially Irish is out now in cinemas and is available to stream.