THE YOUNG DONEGAL lad knew he had won. He was just waiting for the words to make it real.

Waiting for that simple, beautiful motion that would announce his arrival as the European champion.

As his left hand was raised in victory, Jason Quigley turned his head towards the heavens and thought of the man who would have loved to share that golden moment.

“He was a great man,” Quigley says, remembering his grandfather who died two years ago. “I really look up to him and idolise him as a person.

“He was never a big sportsman. He was a farmer in the middle of nowhere here in Donegal but he was just a lovely man. After every fight he’s the first thing I think of.”

By any measure 2013 has been a truly remarkable year for Quigley. Away from the heat of battle, it’s no surprise that he hasn’t had time to fully step back and reflect on it.

Twelve months ago, he was one of Irish boxing’s nearly men: young, full of belief, and brimming with potential but always a punch or two short when it really mattered.

Quigley, in blue, at the European Championships in Minsk (INPHO/Cathal Noonan)

Part of his pre-fight routine is to listen to Nessun Dorma, the famous climax to Puccini’s Turandot. Its soaring message, ‘All’alba vincerò’ (‘At dawn, I will win’), is a statement of faith rather than one of aspiration.

But three times he had made the long trip down from Finn Valley to Dublin to fight for a national senior title, and three times he had lost.

“Every year I got hungrier,” Quigley remembers. “The more I was beaten, the hungrier I got and the more I wanted it.

I think that’s something special I have in me where a lot of fellas would have said ‘I’ve tried three times, I’m never going to do it.’ For me, I had to give it a go.

His ability shone through despite those setbacks. A European youth champion in 2009, he remained a regular in Ireland’s underage squads and in December 2012 won the European U23 title in Russia.

That early Christmas present was the first sign of things to come. When he went back down to Dublin, he made sure that he came away with the national senior title.

Celebrating after he clinched his place in the World championship final (INPHO/Cathal Noonan)

His grandfather would have been a proud man that day. He would have been proud when Quigley collected his European middleweight gold in Minsk, and he would have been proud through the tears and the pain of losing a world championship final.

“It always seemed that the further away I boxed, the tougher the opponents were to him. That’s the way he kinda looked at it.

“As soon as I brought the Irish senior belt back, the gold medal from Europeans, and the world silver medal, the first place I went with them was to his grave.

I let them sit on his grave for a half an hour and sat there with them. He can’t hold it but it’s the closest thing he can to it.

Now Quigley has to look to the future. As things stand he’s still on the lowest level of funding and gets just €12,000 from the Irish Sports Council. When those figures are reviewed early next year, the powers that be are likely to be a bit more generous.

But the money is only one factor. His first dream was to be a professional world champion and with promoters knocking on his door, now is the time to do some serious thinking.

“I’m on the edge,” he admits. “I’m tipping to one side and then tipping to the other.

“My future’s undecided at the minute but pro is definitely is big, big ambition of mine.”

Whatever the decision Conor, his father and his coach, will be by his side.

“He’s the man that had faith in me from day one and always said you’re going to be the best.

“He could see it in me from a young age, see it in the way I train, the way I come back from defeats. He said you really do have it and if you keep at it, you will be the best.

In tears following defeat against Zanibek Alimkhanuly (INPHO/Cathal Noonan)

“I do get that from my father but it has to be in me as well. You just can’t get it from somebody telling you you’re the best.

“People talk about the X factor but that doesn’t mean anything. Nobody can put their finger on a special talent and I think I have some sort of an X factor in me that keeps me 100% focused in my fights.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a club show or a world final, I want to get in there and win it. It’s just something special that I have in me and I’m lucky to have that.

“We came through a lot of blood, tears and sad days and to reach the top, I know he’s absolutely delighted with it and proud.

“But I also know because the two of us are so alike, we’re not happy still and we’re not finished yet. There’s still a lot more to do.”

Welcome home: with his sister Holli, 6, at Dublin Airport (INPHO/Dan Sheridan)

Staying on for another few years as an amateur and the chance to win an Olympic gold medal in Rio is a powerful draw too. This year has moved the bar and proved to the world that Quigley was right to believe in a career of limitless possibilities.

“I’ve done the country proud, I’ve worn the Irish vest very proudly, I’ve represented my country amazingly.

“I don’t think I have anything to give in that sense. I’ve never done anything wrong. I’ve represented my country with all my heart.

“I was just so proud to put on that Irish vest. Maybe it’s time to take off the Irish vest now and go to the pro ranks.”