Lyng grew up as one of four brothers in Wexford, playing football, hurling, handball and soccer.[1] His brother Diarmuid Lyng plays hurling for Wexford.
Lyng has since been selected for the Wexford Gaelic football team in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. He was a member of the Wexford panel which reached the 2008 Leinster Senior Football Championship final. Lyng scored four points against Meath in the quarter-final and one point against Laois in the semi-final.[3][4] However, Wexford were easily defeated by Dublin in the Leinster Senior Football Championship Final. Wexford went on to surprisingly reach the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final, where they were comfortably beaten by Tyrone. 2008 was a year to remember for Lyng: he was nominated for an All-Star and he then represented Ireland against Australia in the International Rules Series that October. A first county medal topped off a great year for Lyng when his St. Martin's team comfortably beat Oulart the Ballagh in a huge upset in the Wexford Senior County Hurling Final.[citation needed]
Ciarán won his first County Medal with St Martin's in Intermediate Football in 2007, gaining the 'Man of the Match' award. His brother Diarmuid Lyng captained that side. He subsequently won a senior county football title with his club in 2013 and he has won two senior county hurling titles with St Martin's in 2017 and 2019.[citation needed]