This is what I could unearth about Brigit in the wonderful text from 1942, which was intended to help collectors of Irish traditions. It is a wonderful book, filled with as many questions as answers, and is available in full on Archive.org at this location.
There are two references to headache treatments on page 312:
‘Head-ache (tinneas cinn…) : charm, cut hair on Good Friday, Saint Brigid's ribbon, Rush worn round the head on Saint Brigid's Eve, snuff left over after a wake, brown paper steeped in vinegar, holy well water as remedies; headache caused by wild birds (especially bats) getting at severed hair.’
Tooth troubles, on page 314 - 315:
‘Teeth troubles (toothache…tinneas fiacal, doigh fiacal) : remedy in charm recited or worn, tobaccos or “bluestone” placed in tooth, frog or clay from elder roots applied, great reed-mace (earball cait) or athair talmhan applied, Saint Brigid's ribbon or brat, holy water, embrace of certain sacred cross; prevention of toothache by not shaving on Friday (Sunday) or by pulling a tooth from a skull with one's own teeth…’
Brigid's feast day, three 324 - 326:
‘St. Brigid’s Feast. This feast was very popular in Ireland. The cult of Saint Brigid was widespread. Many folk stories make her contemporaneous with the Blessed Virgin, and are told to explain why Saint Brigid’s feast has priority to that of Our Lady on the calendar. Write down versions of these tales or of any others about the saint. Were the high tides at Saint Brigid’s feast specially prominent in Irish weather-lore? See also the following subsections and pp. 404, 423.
‘The Vigil of St. Brigid’s Feast. By what names was this known ( Óidhche Fhéil’ Brighde, Óidhche’l Brighde bricín, St. Brigid’s Night, etc.)? Was on given to the Saint by the recital of a special prayer, by the lighting of candles, or in any other way? Describe this in detail.
‘Were crosses made in your district on or before the feast of St. Brigid? What were these crosses called? Of what materials were they made? Where were these materials obtained? Who made the crosses? When were they made? Where? And how many were made in each house? Did any ceremony take place in connection with the making of the cross or its introduction or installation in the house? Where any special words used during the ceremony? What was done with the cross(es) when made? Where was it put? What was done with the old cross(es) when a new one was introduced? Were these crosses supposed to have curative or other miraculous powers? Any stories about this? Was used made of these crosses for the protection or prosperity of the livestock? Where the cattle driven through one of these large crosses placed at the cow house door? Any explanation for this? Can you illustrate by a drawing the design of the type of St. Brigid’s cross made locally? Also give the dimensions of the cross and it's various parts. A photograph of the cross would also be of interest and value. Was a ribbon or piece of cloth exposed on St. Brigid’s night (or at any time during the festival)? What name was applied to this? Where was the cloth or ribbon procured? When? Had it to be of a certain quality, material, colour, or dimensions? Describe the disposal ceremony in detail. Who conducted it? How was it done? Where was the cloth or ribbon exposed? Indoors or outside? For how long? Was it inspected by anybody during the time? What was supposed to happen to it during the period? What curative or other properties was the cross supposed to acquire as the result of being exposed? Any stories about the effects of this? For how long was the class supposed to be efficacious? Was it measured before and after exposal? Did a difference in its dimensions as shown by the two measuring portend anything? Was a sheaf of oats or bread of any kind left on the doorstep on St. Brigid’s eve? Why? Was the object so exposed of any special kind? What was done with it afterwards?
‘Was St. Brigid’s Eve celebrated by carrying about from house to house a decorated emblem or figure? What name was applied to this? What (whom) was it supposed to represent? Was any special object (such as a churn-dash) dressed up for the purpose? What materials composed it? Who prepared the effigy? Was it carried about by young people or by adults? How were they dressed? Did they sing any special songs or recite certain words, or play music during the procession or at the houses visited? How were they received? Did they collect money, or a gift of any kind at these houses? To what purpose was this usually devoted? Was the night celebrated by a dance or other entertainment? How was the effigy finally disposed of? Have people any explanation of the origin of the custom?
‘St. Brigid’s Day. Was this day looked upon as the point from which the weather improved day by day? Are there any stories told regarding this? Any sayings about it (“Ní buan sneachta ar chraoibh ó Lá Fhéile Brighde amach.”*)? Did people abstain from work of any kind which involved wheel turning on Saint Brigid's Day? Have there any explanation for this custom? What types of work were involved? Did people turn clay or sods (with a spade) on that day? Are these customs still observed? Was it usual to throw a live shellfish (periwinkle) or some such thing into the four corners of the house on St. Brigid’s Day? Why was this done?’
from Candlemas, page 328:
What name was this Feast popularly known (Lá ‘le Muire na gCoinneal sa Teampoll etc.)? Write down any lore about this feast (why St. Brigid's Feast proceeds it, etc.)…
from Places or Objects Associated with Saints, page 403 - 404:
‘Was it popularly believed that certain places or objects acquired healing or other special powers through contact or association with saints? Give details of this. For blessed clay from the grave of a saint see the forgoing paragraph. St. Brigid’s Crios, ribbon, cloak, etc.’ … ‘were any special powers ascribed to crosses made on the feast of St. Brigid or St. Patrick?’
* This translates as: “Snow does not last on a tree from Brigid's Day onwards.”
Image: Photo of the open book, showing frontispiece with a photo portrait of the author and the title page, from Ulysses Rare Books.
