The Rector of Ramoan Parish Church, Rev. David Palmer, made the comment at the end of a Service of Thanksgiving for Mr. Colin McMaster who passed away on Monday of last week following a short illness.
Mr. Palmer said he had spoken to Colin a short time before he died and quoted part of a conversation he had with him.

"Colin said 'I know where I am going, my sins are forgiven and I am going to a far better place.' We shall miss him. He was a gifted and remarkable man from a remarkable family and a remarkable community," Mr. Palmer said.

He went on: "As we have seen today, our barriers and backgrounds are of no importance as they shall be of no importance in Heaven."
Earlier, the Rev. Dr. Godfrey Brown, a close family friend and Minister Emeritus of Ballycastle Presbyterian Church, paid a moving tribute to Mr. McMaster.

In his address Dr. Brown said each and everyone present were united in a deeply personal sense of sorrow and loss at the death of Colin.
Few people in Ballycastle had lived so fruitful a life and had impacted so many other people for good as he had done. Dr. Brown said Colin was born in Belfast on March 18, 1948, the son of George and Dorothy McMaster. He grew up in Kirkliston Park and was educated at Belfast Inst and at Queen's University where he took an honours degree in history and qualified as a teacher.

He was later to add to his academic achievements as Master of Arts in Hisatory from the University of Ulster as it was then called.
In 1972 he was appointed to teach history in Ballycastle High School - his first and only job. He was later to be Head of History, Sixth Form Tutor and Vice-Principal - all of them posts he filled with distinction.
Dr. Brown said he had taught part-time in the school and recalled meeting Colin.

"I was aware that in him the school had obtained a teacher of rare quality, and that was to be confirmed for me when my own children became his pupils.

"Colin loved the school and he loved his pupils - the able and the not so able. He was prepared to go to no end of trouble for any one of them. Not content with teaching them superbly, he prepared them for interviews, he rang up universities and collegs on their behalf and offered them his advice and support. They were his friends and nothing was too much trouble for him to do for them," Dr. Brown said.

Dr. Brown went on: "Colin was delighted to see Ballycastle High excel not only in history but in the sciences, in art, in sport and in culture. He took particular pride in the Spirit of Enniskillen awards. Above all, he delighted in the contribution being made by the school in partnership with Cross and Passion College to the building of excellent community relations."

Dr. Brown recalled the recent visit to Ballycastle High School of the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, and said how delighted Colin was that the visit had taken place.
"He was too ill to attend, but he was delighted to hear all about it and to know that it was in no small way a tribute to his life's work," he said.

Dr. Brown went on to speak about how the commitment Mr. McMaster made to school life leaving him very little time for hobbies and interests, yet they had their place.

"It was through badminton that he met his wife whom he married in 1974. He loved rugby, not as a player, but as a passionate spectator and an armchair fan. He often went to Ravenhill and was especially delighted when his brother, Roger, was able to come across from England and join him at a match.

"He also loved school hockey and was always especially elated when the 'wee' Ballycastle club did well against one of the bigger schools. He also loved travel and holidays. These he arranged with the same meticulous care that he put into organising school trips. He and his family had many wonderful holidays especially in France.

"Colin was above all a family man. His love of Susan was plain for all to see. He was just so proud of her as a wife and mother, as a fine teacher and school principal and, not least, as a musician he loved to hear her sing. He delighted in her performances as a soloist as a member of the Church choir and of the Route Singers. He was also so proud of the boys and all they would achieve.

"Colin was especially looking forward to Steven and Jane's wedding this summer.
Referring to Mr. McMaster's Christian faith, Dr. Brown said they only spoke in recent weeks of how they could never have faced up to those difficult days without their personal faith and confidence in the Lord Jesus.

Dr. Brown said that Colin had retired from Ballycastle High School in March of last year as Vice-Principal though he continued in school for some weeks and returned part time this year because he wanted to see his A level students complete their course.

"It was typical of him that he stayed close to his students and was always around for them whem many another would have thought only of himself."
Dr. Brown said life seemed so idyllic for Colin. He had a beautiful wife, a lovely home and garden and two gifted sons.

"The future streched before him but out of the blue in January, Colin became unwell. At first the doctors were puzzled, but on closer inspection he was given the worst possible verdict that he had advanced and inoperable cancer. Nothing could be done.

"Weak and weary he had little energy to do the things he wanted. One thing he had intended to do was to write some words of thanks to the Ballycastle community he loved so much and to thank those who he worked with to build a new and better community for the future rooted in the shared life of the two schools.

Dr. Brown said that seldom, if ever, he had met someone who faced up to such a verdict with so much honesty and courage and with such gratidude and serenity.
"He had a deep sense that his life had been fulfilled and his work on earth was done. He was grateful for the excellent medical and nursing care and for the many loving messages and visits he received.

"These have been sad days as his closest friends have watched with him and his beloved family. We have all been inspired by Colin himself and by the way in which his faith was so firm and sure. For him the weakness and suffering are over and he has gone on to be with Christ, which in the words of Scripture is better by far," Dr. Brown concluded.
Colin loved his Church and was deeply grateful for all the love, support and prayers he received from his Christian family there, as well as the faithful teaching he received from his Rector and from the fellowship of other Church members.

In Ramoan Parish, he served as a member of the Select Vestry and since April 2008 he acted as secretary, and had previously been a Church Warden.
Colin McMaster was born in 1948 and enjoyed huge respect not only amongst his peers but with students past and present. His popularity and general standing was evidenced by the large turn out at Ramoan where loudspeakers relayed the service to the scores of people outside.
The headmaster of Ballycastle High, Mr. Bill Harpur, was joined by staff from his school along with the principal of Cross and Passion Mrs. Barbara Ward and former principal, Carroll Nicholl.

Students - some of whom were reduced to tears during the service - from both the High and Cross and Passion attended - along with former principals and teachers of schools from the Moyle district and beyond. Past pupils were also there to show their sympathies.
"You would never hear anyone say a bad word about Colin McMaster. He was a gifted teacher who was liked not only because of his general personality, but also because he was very good at his job," one person said.

Mr. McMaster who was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery is survived by his wife, Susan, sons, Steven and Neil, mother Dorothy
and brother Roger.